Mississippi State University’s theatre season for 2011-2012 has begun, with the first production, “The Liar,” taking place on Oct. 20 through Oct. 22. “The Liar” by David Ives is adapted from the comedy by Pierre Corneille. The story follows Dorante, a charming man in Paris who has one huge flaw: he cannot tell the truth. Freshly adapted to entertain all, “The Liar” offers romance as well as hilarious misunderstandings.
Jo Durst,  MSU acting professor, instructs various other courses in the Department of Communication.
“It is a great, fun play and we hope to see a lot of people,” Durst said.  
Emily McConnell, a sophomore communications major, is currently enrolled in an acting class under the leadership of Durst. She said she is planning to attend the auditions for this program and has acted frequently in the past.
“I’m really excited about MSU’s theatre productions for this semester,” McConnell said. “The one that I absolutely cannot wait for is ‘The Little Snow Girl.’ It is so much fun putting on a show for children and I really hope that they will enjoy it.”
“The Little Snow Girl” is a children’s play that involves  actors and dancers. It is about a girl who makes snow come to life for an elderly couple who cannot have children. The Department of Foreign Languages, campus dance program, student actors and those behind the set are working together to make the production a success. Among those auditioning is Rayner Sullivan, a junior education major.
“I’m pretty excited about auditioning for this play because I have never actually acted before,” Sullivan said. “However, the directors are giving everyone a fair chance to be in it, making me feel more confident about my acting skills.”
MSU’s theatre program also hosts the North Mississippi High School Drama Festival Dec. 2 and 3, and  the production of “Why I Live at the PO.” The latter is adapted from the works of Eudora Welty and will be Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. This one-woman show will be free to attend as a part of this year’s Maroon Edition, “The Optimist’s Daughter.”
“The State of the Arts” theatre MSU pamphlet states the mission of the department is to serve “all students, regardless of major, in the development of basic communication skills and an appreciation for theatre, public communication and mass media.”
The more students audition and attend the plays, the greater the department becomes. Everyone involved is extremely excited and hope people will come out to watch and support MSU’s theatre program.
Next week, auditions for “The Little Snow Girl” will take place on the McComas Hall Mainstage. The theatre department welcomes anyone and everyone to come Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to audition at 6 p.m. The production will be Nov. 13 at 2 p.m.