Kansas University Associate Professor Dennis Christilles, center, and reporter Mark Boyle discuss KU Summer Theatre on the stage at Murphy Hall. The program has already produced “The Spitfire Grill” and now is presenting “Almost, Maine.”

Editor’s note: Reporter Mark Boyle takes us behind the scenes of news stories in the area. This week, he transitions from the studio to the stage with Kansas University’s Summer Theatre program. While most KU students are taking the summer off, those involved with the theater program are working hard on each production.

When the house lights go down, the spotlight shines on Kansas University Summer Theatre, which is producing two shows during the intermission of school years.

Most students spend these summer months away from KU’s campus, but for those involved in the theater program, it’s a time of immense work.

The cast and crew are currently working on “Almost, Maine,” which is their second and last production of the summer. The show opened Friday and will continue next weekend.

“We are spending a lot of time talking about this web of community,” said Boone Hopkins, the show’s director. “‘Almost, Maine’ is a unique kind of script because it deals with not one central, through line of story, but it’s all of these different stories of people that pop up within the community.”

Proud of each production, actors, stage hands and theater organizers all find ways to challenge themselves. The Summer Theatre is unique because the productions appear on Murphy Hall’s Stage Too! It’s a thrust stage design, in which the audience is seated right up next to the actors.

“The Spitfire Grill,” the troupe’s first production this summer, just finished its run and enjoyed great success.

“This particular show is a musical, which has its own exciting challenges,” said Dennis Christilles, associate professor in the theater department, who was the scenic and lighting designer for KU’s production of “The Spitfire Grill.” “The musicians are back behind us rather than being put in an orchestra pit, so when I design a set for this type of environment I have to take in account that there is audience everywhere and musicians as well.”

While many of the actors and actresses cast in the summer productions are current KU students, some are recent graduates and are performing in a university show for the last time.

“I feel really fortunate,” said Hopkins. “(There were) people that I saw slipping out the door and I said, ‘I really hope I get to work with them’ and then this opportunity was presented to me, and I felt so fortunate.”

Each production packs its own interesting punch. After spending a day backstage with the cast and crew, I urge anyone interested in the arts to attend a show this summer.

For more information, log onto kutheatre.com.