25 Tiresias (played by Brian Schultz) leans over to speak to Kreon (played by Clay Wilhelm) during the April 1996 production of “Antigone.” ACT brought professional expertise, community volunteers, and operational efficiency. “While ACT is a community theatre, the company itself is professional,” Skyles explained. “A collegiate program can provide a good foundation for success, but a professionally run company requires efficiency, professionalism and audience accountability. This partnership allowed our university students to learn more of the business side of producing theater, working with Brian Schultz, who is an excellent stage director and teacher.” The results were visible in the student performers themselves. “I saw all our students grow as stage performers,” Skyles said. The Moment Everything Aligned There were many highlights during the production process, but one crystallized the partnership’s impact for Skyles. It came during the sitzprobe—the first rehearsal with the full orchestra—when his student Hannah Gasperich, who played Maria von Trapp, sang “The Hills Are Alive.” “I was struck by how good the show was going to be,” Skyles recalled. That moment, with a student performer backed by a professional-caliber orchestra in a beautifully appointed theater, represented exactly what the partnership made possible. The community responded immediately. Before opening night, ticket sales looked promising. After the first performance, word spread. By the final show, the Jewett Theatre was sold out. “To this day, people approach me and the other directors to tell us how much they enjoyed the show,” Skyles said. “I consider that to be an audience accountability success.” Building Relationships That Matter Beyond the numbers and logistics, Schultz recognized something more subtle but equally important happening. The blend of students and seasoned community performers created learning moments that extended far beyond the stage. “Those relationships can be the reason some graduates choose to stay in Aberdeen,” Schultz said. When young performers work alongside professionals, when they see how theater operates as both art and business, when they experience the community’s enthusiasm for their work—those connections can shape career decisions and life paths. For Walker, seeing “The Sound of Music” back at JFAC was a powerful full-circle moment. “Neither organization would be as strong without the other,” he reflected. “ACT started at JFAC, and our working relationship with Northern continues to enhance the arts in this region.” Looking Forward Together As ACT approaches the Capitol Theatre’s 100th anniversary in 2026 and continues its capital campaign to preserve and modernize the historic building, both organizations are planning the next chapter together. “I see a bright future of continued collaboration and growth for both ACT and NSU theatre arts,” Walker said. In a time of transition for higher education and the arts, the partnership between Northern State University and Aberdeen Community Theatre offers a compelling reminder: when institutions share space, resources, and vision, the stage doesn’t dim—it shines brighter.
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