Ahead of its premiere, Tent Theatre's second summer production, Sherlock Holmes, sells out

Theatregoers interested in seats to Tent Theatre's upcoming production are going to need to be quick, as traditional tickets available to the public have already sold out.

Missouri State University's Tent Theatre opens "Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery" on Friday night. Although all public tickets have been sold, Marketing Director Mark Templeton said a few additional seats may become available per showing. An announcement about any available seats will be made at 10 a.m. the morning of the select show. The production runs July 7-8 and 10-14 at 8 p.m.

Information about tickets is available on the Missouri State website at tenttheatre.missouristate.edu/ and the various Tent Theatre social medias.

"Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery" is Tent Theatre's second production of its 61st season, the first full season in the newly constructed John Goodman Amphitheatre. Templeton said production director Sarah Wiggin describes it as a "beast of a show."

Steven Horn, who plays Doctor Watson, described the production as a "buckwild, romp-roaring time."

A five-member cast makes up Tent Theatre's production of "Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery," including Missouri State alumni Horn, Michael Watterson as Sherlock Holmes and Scout Mayberry as Actor Three. Missouri State senior Elijah Nash plays Actor Two and St. Louis-based actor Cole Hintz, Actor One.

Although their character names may initially appear vague, Mayberry, Nash and Hintz help make the small-cast production seem larger than life, each playing multiple roles. Mayberry plays six different characters, Nash plays 14 and Hintz plays 10.

For Horn, who graduated from Missouri State in May 2022, this production is extra special. While a student, Horn was cast in two Tent Theatre shows that were supposed to be held in the new amphitheater, but due to delayed construction, both were held indoors — untypical for the Tent Theatre productions.

"Getting to break the ground on this new space is super exciting," Horn said. "The space is beautiful, the stage is gorgeous, the stage they built for us is monumental and just overall, the amphitheater as a little arts park is so charming and such an upgrade."

The youngest of the cast, 21-year-old Nash is excited to be making his Tent Theatre debut this summer. Nash said he enjoys playing in dual roles, where one actor plays two or more characters during one production.

Horn and Nash agreed that preparations for opening night have been physically difficult, yet rewarding.

Each Tent Theatre production is made up of two rehearsal weeks and two performance weeks. During the rehearsal weeks, cast and crew work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, learning lines, tweaking characters and finalizing the set. In the final few days before opening night, the cast and crew have worked noon to 11 p.m.

Since its establishment in 1963, Tent Theatre has provided Missouri State students with an opportunity to work alongside industry professionals during summer break.

Mayberry, originally from Melissa, Texas, said the opportunity to work in a professional environment like Tent Theatre was one of the reasons she chose to attend Missouri State. As she prepares for her next steps post-graduation, Mayberry described Tent Theatre as the "perfect transition" for a fresh actress.

Tent Theatre's season theme for the summer is "Over the Top." In addition to the sold out show of "Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery," Tent Theatre's first production, "Anything Goes" sold out too.

As of Wednesday, Templeton said the final show of the season, "The Prom" has sold about 75%. "The Prom" opens Friday, July 21 and runs July 21-22 and July 24-29. The musical, based on a true story, tells the story of the unifying power of love.

The John Goodman Amphitheatre, dedicated in October 2022, was made possible by Missouri State's Onward and Upward campaign that raised $274 million for projects like it across campus. Goodman himself also made a personal donation to the university, his alma mater.

Tickets for Tent Theatre productions are available online at bit.ly/3NvddOX, by calling 417-836-7678 or at either Missouri State TIX box office in Great Southern Bank Arena or Craig Hall. Both box offices are open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Tent Theatre's second summer production sells out