Northwestern theatre professor to present solo show

Karen Bohm Barker, professor of theatre at Northwestern College, will present a one-woman musical drama on Friday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 7, at 2 and 7 p.m. in Northwestern’s England Proscenium Theatre. The musical, titled “Early One Morning,” is free, and no tickets are required. Attendees will have the opportunity to donate to the Theatre Patrons’ campaign for new risers and chairs for Northwestern’s Allen Black Box Theatre.

“Early One Morning” was written by Ron Melrose and tells the complete story of biblical character Mary Magdalene. Through 10 songs of contemporary style, the show conveys Christ’s forgiveness and love from Mary Magdalene’s perspective. Every Bible passage that mentions Mary Magdalene is included in the musical drama.

Barker received funding from the Northwestern College Scholarship Grants program to perform the show in Seattle, Oak Harbor and Lynden, Wash., this past summer. She has also performed the musical in Kasbeer, Ill., and Grand Marais, Minn.

A member of Northwestern’s faculty since 1988, Barker earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Greenville College. She has extensive professional acting credits, and she and her husband, Jeff, who is also a member of Northwestern’s theatre faculty, perform regularly at conferences and lead seminars on incorporating drama into worship.

The couple received Northwestern’s Sears-Roebuck Foundation Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award in 1991 and were honored by the regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for exceptional service to theatre in 2003. Karen Barker was also the recipient of Northwestern’s 2016 Faculty Recognition for Inspirational Service Award.