BEREA — Brooke Turner, of DeGraff, was part of the cast and crew from Baldwin Wallace University who invigorated Berea with their production of Tom Stoppard’s Czech-centered “Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

Turner, a graduate of Bellefontaine High School majoring in acting, played the part of Esme in the production.

Set to the soundtrack of greats like John Lennon and The Beach Boys, the story spans two decades and follows the rise and fall of Communist ideals within the characters’ lives—both personal and political.

Since the play closely follows the timeline of Czech history in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s and includes the Prague Spring, the creation of Charter 77 and the Velvet Revolution, dramaturg Pamela Decker worked with a team of students to help maintain the historical accuracy of the show.

Regarding the context of the show, Decker stated, “While the revolution forms the backdrop of this play, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is, above all, a human drama interwoven with politics, poetry and, of course, rock and roll music.”

“Rock ‘n’ Roll” is one of an extensive number of performance experiences providing real-world opportunities for students at Baldwin Wallace University. Productions include plays, musicals, operas, music concerts and dance concerts. For more details, visit bw.edu/events.