(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – A not-so-run-of-the-mill department of theatre and dance professor is being honored this week while he directs his last production at UCM.

Richard Herman, professor of theater and dance, will be directing “Our Town” as his last production before he retires.

“This production is metatheatrical, which means the play has as much focus on how we’re producing the play as the story within the play,” Herman said.

Herman has been a professor at UCM for 31 years and will officially retire May 31 of this year.

 Herman said the story within the play is about George and Emily, two young kids that fall in love with each other in the early 1900s. The team is also producing the play as his final production in 2018.

“As an homage to that, all of the actors are wearing T-shirts from productions I’ve done before as part of their costumes and then we have scenery that is also from shows I’ve done before that works within this play as well,” he said. “It’ll draw the audience in, and then it’ll break that wall (when) we’ll bring lights upon the audience and talk to the audience. Its pretty nontraditional in that sense.”

Caleb Gazaway, who plays Dr. Gibbs in the production, said even though this is his first production working with Herman, he will miss him.

“He’s kind of the silent hand behind the department,” Gazaway said. “We all work with him in a way.”

Gazaway said he expects the production to run smoothly.

“The concept that Dr. Herman came up with is phenomenal,” he said. “I never thought I’d be a part of a production that is just so metatheatrical. It’s reaffirmed my love of theatre and storytelling.”

Ally Laytham, a senior on the production, said this is her third time working with Herman.

“We’ve really bonded over this past year,” Laytham said. “I’m gonna miss him a lot because I’ve learned a lot from him and he always puts me in my place.”

Herman said though he has taught a lot to the students that have come through the department, he has learned a lot from them as well.

“They’ve certainly been my teachers as much as I’ve been their teacher,” Herman said.

“Our Town” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and again at 2 p.m. Sunday.

A reception to honor Herman’s time and work put into the theatre department will be held from 2-5 Saturday, March 10 at Heroes.

“It’s very humbling. All I wanted to do was do a final show and then move on, but the faculty and the students won’t let that happen, they want to have lots of celebration,” Herman said. “I think it’s great because it’s bringing back alums, and my career has always been about students and fellow faculty members. That’s what makes it fun everyday coming back to teach.”

Both Gazaway and Laytham said Herman will be missed by the whole department.

“He’s a sassy little minx,” Gazaway said. “The wealth of knowledge that he brings from his 30 plus years of teaching plus more just in life experience is huge. He will be missed.”

For more information, the theatre department can be reached at 660-543-4020. Online sales are located at ucmo.edu/theatre.

Tickets can be bought at the box office during the weekdays or online. The tickets are $15 for the general public, $10 for UCM faculty, staff and senior citizens and $7 for students.