Marywood University’s Music, Theatre, and Dance Department held its senior theater capstone performances on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

The showcase was called “Double Play,” as it featured two of the program’s graduating seniors, Anthony Munar and Cara Nardone.

This year’s capstone was unique in that each senior performed a one-person show. Both Munar and Nardone were responsible for composing their own presentations and performing in them.

“Since we are both musical theatre majors, and we are both singers, it really was a glorified recital. It was us singing, dancing, and acting,” said Nardone.

Nardone’s show was called, “If You Give a Girl a Stage,” which was inspired by the children’s book, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” The performance featured several songs and two monologues. One from Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice” and the other from the play, “Scuba Lessons.”

Nardone loosely based her performance on the plot of the story, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” in which she describes how one thing leads to another for the mouse.

“If you give a girl…me, a stage– I’m just going to want more and more and more,” said Nardone. She added that in some ways, her performance was like her love letter to theatre at Marywood.

Munar’s performance, on the other hand, was less of a compilation and more of a story from start to finish.

Munar called his show “Progress.” He described it as a story of how music helped shape him throughout his life.

“It basically just says how music helped me get out all these emotions, and how it helped me make great progress [with things like] body movements and how I talk to people,” said Munar.

The shows were held in the Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts Black Box Theatre, which is a smaller more intimate space, compared to the larger auditorium.

Nardone said she was happy with the turn out, describing the first night as nearly sold out and the second as being half full.

For more on the Marywood Music, Theatre, and Dance department visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MarywoodUniversityMTD

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