NW Missouri Times

Northwest Missouri State University will open its 2025-26 Theatre Northwest season with “A Fall Evening of One-Acts” from Sept. 18 to 20. The event will feature three student-directed plays: “A Blind Date” by Elliot Baker, “Down Came the Rain” by Burgess Clark, and “Pillow Talk” by Peter Tolan.

The performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. each night in the Black Box theater, located on the lower floor of the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts on campus. Tickets cost $6 and can be purchased online starting Wednesday, Sept. 18, or at the box office one hour before showtime.

Lillian Rindfuss, production manager for “A Blind Date” and publicity manager for Theatre Northwest, described the evening as a celebration of stories that matter. “‘A Fall Evening of One Acts’ brings together three powerful stories that will make you laugh, reflect and connect in new ways,” said Rindfuss, a sophomore theatre technical and design major from West Des Moines, Iowa. “From the quirky charm of ‘A Blind Date’ to the tender and emotional journey of ‘Down Came the Rain,’ to the thought-provoking honesty of ‘Pillow Talk,’ these one-acts showcase the wide range of human experience – love, family and friendship.”

The production is part of Theatre Northwest’s Lab Series. All aspects—directing, acting, designing, and stage management—are handled by students. Participation in this series is mandatory for speech and theatre education majors.

“A Blind Date,” directed by Korbin Horton, follows two individuals who discover there may be more to each other than first impressions suggest.

“Down Came the Rain,” directed by Remington Carter, tells the story of two brothers navigating their relationship during a camping trip as they deal with family loss.

“Pillow Talk,” directed by Anna Verhoff, centers on best friends Aaron and Doug as they discuss sensitive topics including stigma around homosexuality and toxic masculinity.

Theatre Northwest’s fall schedule continues with “They Promised Her the Moon” from Oct. 9-12 as part of its annual First-Year Student Showcase. Another production titled “When We Were Young and Unafraid” is planned for Nov. 13-16.