The Northern Kentucky University Department of Theatre and Dance will celebrate the eighth year of its freshman show this November with the production of a light-hearted political comedy, “The Mouse that Roared.”

The cast is set and rehearsals will begin early in October with Terry Powell behind the reins as director. Like last year’s production, all the members of the freshman class who auditioned will play some role in this year’s show.

The freshman show, a fairly low profile production outside the theatre department, looks to attract the general public with one of its best incoming acting classes to date along with an engrossing storyline adapted from the book of the same name by Leonard Wibberley.

The comedy tells the story of a small, fictional country in Europe declaring war on the U.S. in hopes of losing the war. The fictional country wants the U.S. to rebuild and industrialize their nation. Gloriana, the duchess of this tiny nation, decides that the quickest way out of bankruptcy is to lose a war to the U.S. who in turn will make them wealthy.
The play is set during the Cold War era and delves into satirical analysis of modern politics and world situations at that time. It provides some commentary on contemporary issues like bankruptcy as well.
“The goal is to utilize as many of the [freshmen] as we can and give as many opportunities as possible,” Powell, associate professor of design and technology in the theatre department said.
This will be Powell’s third consecutive year directing the freshman show, a role he had instant success with his first year.
“This is an opportunity to give freshmen the ability to be in a production their first semester,” he said.

The play also gives new and current design students within the theatre department a chance to be involved in a production.
Gabriella Francis, a freshman theatre major, will be playing Miss Wilkins in this year’s production. For Francis, a resident of Rochester, N.Y., this will be her first major production, an experience she is quite eager to perform in.

“It’s definitely a production that you should come see because this is not your normal freshmen class,” she said.
This year’s incoming class is one of the theatre department’s largest classes to date and the talent is as widespread as ever.
“The Mouse That Roared” will open to the general public Nov. 16 in the Robert & Rosemary Stauss Theatre and will run for three shows during that weekend.