Arrr! Start your holiday season on the tropical seas seeking buried treasure with the Adams State University Theatre Department production, Treasure Island. The fast-paced adventure of Jim and Long John Silver will keep children of all ages entertained and rooting for the good guys. Treasure Island .
Directed by Jenna Neilsen, professor of theatre, Treasure Island is a good swashbuckling, exciting, adventure story that has captivated people since it was written in 1883. “There is something in it for everyone. Along with sword, musket and fists fights, the story is ultimately a coming-of-age tale that also explores the themes that not everyone is as they appear and everyone has a little good and a little bad inside of them. Silver is both a good guy you should dislike and a bad guy that you want to cheer for. The characters are nuanced and that is why they have endured for generations.”
The story begins on Captain Flint’s ship, moves to the Benbow Inn, where Jim grew up and assists his mother with the business. Intrigue begins with the arrival of Billy Bones, a pirate looking for a safe and quiet place to hideout but soon his old shipmates come looking for him and the treasure map he stole. Jim is soon swept up with Long John Silver’s plans to find the buried treasure on the Isle of Treasure. “Although Long John Silver can be unscrupulous, he will capture your heart,” Neilsen added.
The cast of 14 actors play over 35 characters. The production is also largely student designed, with set, costume, sound, and props all being designed by upperclassmen. Even the fights are being choreographed by two seniors as co-fight directors. Neilsen said while the play has a fair amount of fighting it is a “pirate kind of scary.” She recommends the show for all ages as the “good guys end up winning and the bad guys get what they deserve.”
Treasure Island continues at 7:30 p.m. December 13 and 14. Tickets can be purchased in the Theatre Box Office from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. or call 719-587-8499 to reserve tickets.
