Cornell theatre professors collaborate on new play 

When Cornell College theatre professors aren’t teaching students, they’re working to advance theatre locally and nationally.

Many Cornell theatre greats are supporting the development of an exciting new play called, “We’ll Get Back to You,” which will premiere at the Mirrowbox Theatre in Cedar Rapids April 4–28, 2024.

Cornell’s own Professor Scott Olinger is lighting the show, Associate Professor of Theatre Caroline Price is in the cast, Visiting Artist in Theatre Patrick DuLaney–who directed “Noises Off” at Cornell–is producing and serving as an understudy, and Lecturer/Technical Director Shawn Ketchum Johnson is doing the sound design for this production. Several other familiar faces and Cornell theatre guest artists will also support the creation of the show.

“We’ll Get Back to You” was written by New York Times best-selling author, pastor, and speaker Rob Bell, and is under development by filmmaker and Broadway Director Kristin Hanggi–known for directing and developing the hit “Rock of Ages.” 

“When I was cast in the original stage reading over the summer I had no idea how cool this opportunity would be. The cast joked about doing a full production someday and now that it’s happening I am over the moon.  This is an incredible opportunity for not only myself, but also our theater faculty,” Price said.

“The hope is to workshop the play here and then move to larger markets, like Chicago, and then eventually to New York to appear Off-Broadway,” Olinger said. “We’re all on the ground floor of this exciting piece.”

According to the ticket website, “We’ll get back to you” begins with questions that lead to more questions that lead to larger questions about this disruptive presence at the heart of it all and gradually begins to reveal: What happens when people own every square inch of their lives? 

Tickets can be purchased online.