Auditions now open for Ruthless

What kind of man was Boaz before he got married?

Absolutely ruthless.

While that joke may be a little corny, Union won’t be very Ruth-less for long. It was recently announced that auditions are open for Ruthless, a drama production and a “down in the dust love story” based on the book of Ruth.

While Campus Ministries (CM) is helping to bring the production to life, the play itself is written by Ramsey Mesnard, a Union alum who graduated in 2022 with a degree in graphic design. He currently works nearby at AdventSource and lives in Lincoln with his wife and two children.

The account of Ruth may be familiar to most students, but this, as Mesnard puts it, “is a fresh perspective on the story.” The play is set in the 1930s in the Dust Bowl and the early years of World War II, “but the heart of the story remains the same. It ties in important parts of the story of Ruth in creative ways that make sense for the time.”

Neither Mesnard nor CM are strangers to theater drama. Mesnard’s family, including his father, Mike Mennard, pastor of the New Creation Community Church, produced many plays in the past on Union’s campus. CM last year saw massive success with their theatrical retelling of the film The Prince of Egypt which was performed in April 2023, under the direction of CM and Ellie Britain, a sophomore business major, now studying abroad in Italy.

Mesnard is excited for the opportunity to see his work on stage. “It’s a passion project of mine and a huge opportunity for me to share my love of God through theater … I am really honored to be able to do this.” He is grateful for those who have made it possible, crediting David Kabanje “PK,” Union College chaplain, for making it happen.

Applications for auditions, which include actors and crew, close on October 13. Interested students may apply in the CM office.

By Charles Metz