Brace yourself for an unconventional theatrical experience. Ride the Cyclone, coming to the Alvina Krause Theatre in downtown Bloomsburg, is a hilarious and outlandish musical that defies traditional storytelling. The production follows six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir whose lives take a dramatic turn when a freak accident aboard a roller coaster cuts their adventures short. Rather than ending in tragedy, the story launches into the afterlife, where these teens encounter a mechanical fortune teller who presents them with an extraordinary competition: each must tell a story, with the ultimate prize being the chance to return to life.
What makes this production particularly impressive is the scale of collaboration required to bring such an ambitious show to life. The scenic design led the creative process, followed by lighting and sound design, each department building upon the work of the others to create a cohesive vision. The effort invested by students across all production areas has resulted in what insiders describe as a truly special theatrical event.
The success of Ride the Cyclone stems from the dedication and creativity of its cast and crew. Andrew Meschke, who plays Noel Gruber—described as the most romantic boy in town—reflects on his growth through the production.
“This has really been a learning experience because the cast is just so wonderful,” Meschke explains. “I have learned to fully take advantage of every opportunity to be seen, and it’s taught me how relationships can really blossom in an environment like this.”
Hannah Konkolics, who plays The Amazing Cassandra, describes her character as mysterious yet clever and playful—a strange motherly authority figure. She notes that while the role has been challenging, requiring minimal physical expression and movement, being part of the production has taught her valuable lessons about personal growth.
“The biggest things have been learning there’s a lot of room for growth and improvement, and that it’s okay to take care of yourself,” she shares.
Bekah Rose, who plays Jane Doe, speaks to the deeper themes embedded in the show.
“It’s about life and death and how they work together, how things happen by complete accident,” she explains. “I’ve learned a lot about what it’s like to be with a supportive cast. We have so much fun together, get so close, and have so much respect for each other. It’s special to have non-theatre majors here—their reactions remind me why I’m in the major and how cool it is.”
Behind the scenes, the production design team worked tirelessly to bring the vision to life. Xaria “Mickey” Brathwaite, serving as Hair & Makeup Design, describes the challenge of condensing personality into visual choices.
“Getting to see the whole process and specifically in hair and makeup, and how you have to take someone’s personality and condense it into something as simple as the type of blush they wear,”
she reflects.
Abbey Bowman, Costume Designer, details the hands-on nature of the work:
“Costume designer basically means helping with mood boards, selecting fabric, and working with actors on costume changes. We built cat claws, sewed them on, cut out patterns for mittens, made a robot head, did designs on characters’ outfits, and did the wires and hands.”
The quick changes required meticulous preparation and creative problem-solving.
Thomas Halko, serving as Sound Designer and Sound Operator, emphasizes the technical complexity behind the scenes.
“I created, sourced, and edited all the sounds played through the show, as well as vocal effects with live mixing and blending,” he explains. “It’s about ensuring monitors work, the band is blended properly, and everything sounds balanced.”
Ride the Cyclone runs November 6–9 at the Alvina Krause Theatre, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 PM and a Sunday matinee at 3:00 PM. Current CU-Bloomsburg students enjoy free admission, while adults pay $12 and students and seniors receive $8 tickets. Advance tickets are available at the Arts in Bloom Box Office in the Haas Center for the Arts, with tickets also available at the theatre box office one hour before performances. This remarkable production promises to be a must-see event.
