Karen Robu's original play “Suffering Church” will be staged Monday, April 11, at 7 p.m. in Krehbiel Auditorium in Luyken Fine Arts Center.

Most people who recognize Robu’s name do so because she has been a fixture in Wichita theater for almost 30 years.

But Robu is also a full-time associate minister for Plymouth Congregational Church in Wichita and part-time assistant professor of communication arts and director of theater at Bethel College, who just completed a Doctor of Ministry degree at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Okla.

Live theater returns to Bethel with "I and You" by Lauren Gunderson on the Krehbiel Auditorium stage, April 29-May 1.

The play will be in Luyken Fine Arts Center, Thursday-Saturday, with a Saturday afternoon matinee and a livestream option.

Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. and the Saturday matinee is at 2 p.m. 

Face coverings will be required, and physical distancing enforced, for in-person performances.

You can still watch the Fall Festival theater production, No Cross, No Crown – Covid Edition, on Bethel's YouTube channel.

It should surprise no one to learn that the Fall Fest play needed to move from live stage to online. While many events had to be be canceled, a few were able to go on, just virtually.

One such was No Cross, No Crown – Covid Edition, written and directed by Bethel Instructor of Theater Karen Robu.

Bethel will celebrate the 50th Fall Festival Oct. 3 and, as with many events this year, it will look a little different.

The most visible change will be no booths, vendors or entertainment on the Green.

Instead, planners are organizing several smaller in-person and virtual events, "still committed to being a community of Threshers," said Brad Schmidt, director of alumni engagement.

On campus, there will be the Fall Fest football game vs. Southwestern College at 6 p.m. in Thresher Stadium.