Preparations in full throttle for Madrigal Feast

Linda Boles, costumer, and Lauren Alumbaugh, freshman undecided major, prepare for the Madrigal Feast by participating in the costume fitting in the basement of Phinney Recital Hall Feb. 15.

Amye Buckely

Linda Boles, costumer, and Lauren Alumbaugh, freshman undecided major, prepare for the Madrigal Feast by participating in the costume fitting in the basement of Phinney Recital Hall Feb. 15.

Robin Hood and his merry men will visit the court of King Budward and Queen Susanna during the Madrigal Feast hosted by the Missouri Southern department of music. The four performances are at 7 p.m. March 7-10 in the Black Box Theatre.

“This year is Robin Hood and the merry men return, and 40 years later,” said

Paul Whetstone, senior vocal performance major and court jester. “They’re all fat and old. It’ll be pretty disgustingly hilarious.”

The year is 1549. Guests have been invited and the feast is spread and the music department plans to entertain with humor and song.

Bud Clark, music department head, writes a new script for each feast.

“The costuming is Renaissance, the singing is Renaissance, everything basically is kinda tongue-in-cheek,” Clark said. “Once in awhile, there will be some comment made that obviously brings us back to the 21st Century.”

Audience members have their chance to get into the act, sometimes they even come dressed to fit the part.

“Be ready to have fun,” said Dr. Susan Smith, associate professor of music. “You don’t get to have any silverware, you eat everything with your fingers. It’s just really a chance to let go and not be prim and proper, just get in the spirit of what’s going on.”

The term “madrigal” refers to the type of music sung during the Renaissance period, which will be sung throughout the evening.

“This was the pop music of the 1500s,” Clark said.

Lydia Wiles, senior English major, looks forward to singing with the group. “I’ve been in choir all four years but this is my first year being in chamber choir.”

Southern’s Chamber Choir has been renamed the Royal Chamber Choir for the event. They will sing, wait tables and contribute to the general merriment. Smith thinks it is a great opportunity for young vocalists.

“In a musical, pretty much, you’ve been scripted and you’ve been blocked and you try to do it close to the same every night,” Smith said. “But in this case, so much of the time you’re just asked to be in character, and that’s it.”

Although there is a script, much of what happens during the evening depends on audience participation.

“That’s what makes it fun,” Clark said. “Because you never know from one night to the next what’s going to happen.” He compared the evening to a Johnny Carson show.

“If things go right it’s funny,” he said. “If things go wrong, sometimes it’s even funnier.”

Clark will become king and Smith will be queen for the evening.

“It’s an evening where you just are a part of this entire festive court,” Smith said. “And all the characters are just so much bigger than life, not to mention that you get a really, really good meal.”

Smith, excited about the event, slipped into her Queen Susanna character. “Yeah, where did my crown go?” she asked.

Tickets for the Madrigal Feast are $20 per person and available through the Missouri Southern ticket office at 625-9366.