It’s that time of year again. Dance shoes are being broken in, rehearsal skirts laid out, and the scene shop will soon be awash with construction. Millikin’s theatre majors are practicing their repertoires of songs and monologues for another round of auditions as this semester’s Mainstage season is upon us.

First to grace the stage at Albert Taylor Theatre from Oct. 9-13 is Tartuffe, a witty satire which tells the tale of a family’s efforts to reclaim their father after a religious prophet makes an impression on him. Directed by Alex Miller, the show is sure to have surprising moments of creative genius and will almost certainly start the season off on the right foot.

Perhaps the most exciting show of this coming semester is String. This new musical already has roots on campus.  Part of Millikin’s New Musicals Workshop in 2011, the show will now be making a Mainstage debut. The story of a Greek god who ends up having an encounter with a mortal man will likely be enjoyable to fans of the Percy Jackson series, or any student on campus with a fondness for Greek mythology.  Playing Nov. 20-24 in Albert Taylor Theatre and directed by Lori Bales, this “quirky and contemporary” show with “a dash of fairy tale” will be a sight to behold.

Closing up the semester is Solstice: A Concert of Dance. Featuring both faculty and student choreographed performances, the best of Millikin’s dance program will be on display in this exhibition of rhythmic mastery. Playing in Albert Taylor Theatre from Dec. 12-14, Solstice is certain to be a hypnotizing marriage of dynamic power and lithe grace.

Incoming Freshman should be reminded that all Millikin students are eligible to get one free ticket to any of the shows above. It is certain to be an excellent first half of the2013-2014 season.