Huntington University to present One-Act Play Festival
FOR RELEASE: Monday, April 21, 2008
Huntington, Ind. "Huntington University students will present the annual One-Act Play Festival at 7:30 p.m. on May 1-3 in the Studio Theatre of the Merillat Center for the Arts. Led by Huntington student directors, seven works will showcase the talents of the university's actors and designers. The public is invited to attend, and general admission is $2. For tickets, call the Merillat Centre for the Arts Box Office at (260) 359-4261.
Teresa Bower
A New York Minute
Student director Teresa Bower will present A New York Minute, a play written by Michele Palermo about Harry, a successful businessman who committed suicide. When his best friend Melissa comes to clean out Harry's apartment, Harry's ghost appears to her, and they have one last discussion about life, death and love.
Cast
Harry: Amos Rawley, a sophomore Bible and religion major from Greencastle, Pa.
Melissa: Shannon Godsey-Nemeth, a sophomore journalism major from Fairfax, Iowa
Director: Teresa Bower, a senior from Fort Wayne, Ind.
Deanna Repic
Graceland
Student director Deanna Repic will present Graceland, a play written by Ellen Byron about two dedicated Elvis Presley fans, Bev and Rootie, who camped out in front of the gates of his famous estate. Although seemingly enemies at first, a middle-aged eccentric woman and young, shy small town girl, find a comical and heart-warming friendship.
The joy in directing, for me, comes from bringing the audience a piece of art with which they can connect, Repic said. This one-act will bring a unique connection to the audience through laughter, joy and an understanding of human relationships at large.
Cast
Bev Davies: Bethany Edlund, a freshman theatre performance major from Roanoke, Ind.
Rootie Mallert: Amber Kessler, a sophomore youth ministries major from Noblesville, Ind.
Director: Deanna Repic, a junior theatre performance major from Aliquippa, Penn.
Meghan McClaine
A Blind Date with Mary
Student director Meghan McClaine will present A Blind Date with Mary, a play written by Sura involving a man named Bob who has a blind date with Mary, a supposedly beautiful woman with whom his friend set him up. But when he shows up at her apartment, he meets her roommate Susan. The two wait together for Mary's arrival as Susan reveals to Bob all the not-so-wonderful things about his blind date. In the end, Bob and Susan go off together for a date while Mary enters alone only to discover that Susan stole her date and planned it from the beginning.
Cast
Susan: Jenn Miller, a senior theatre and psychology double major from Berkeley, Ill.
Bob: Peter Owens, a sophomore Bible and religion major from Indianapolis, Ind.
Mary: Stacie Cheek, a junior social work major from Franklin, Ind.
Director: Meghan McClaine, a junior theatre education major from Greencastle, Ind.
Jon Huffman
Deeny
Student director Jon Huffman will present Deeny, a play by David Mamet, usually combined with two other one-acts as the last act of a trio called The Old Neighborhood, yet it remains poignant and effective in its own right. In the first two shows, the audience is introduced to Bobby Gould, learns that he has decided to leave his old home forever, and sees some of the reasons he has decided to do so. But Deeny focuses on a girl named Deeny, a simple waitress with a philosophical bent and a quirky sense of humor, and the only girl Bobby Gould ever truly loved. In leaving his old neighborhood, Bobby has only one regret: He must leave Deeny behind as well.
Directing this show has been a joy and a challenge, Huffman said. A joy because the characters are deep, real and emotionally well-rounded, and a challenge because much of the reality springs from Mamet's crazy style of writing that makes lines all but impossible to memorize. I offer my most heartfelt thanks to my cast members, without whose hard work we would not have a show, and I am sure I would be sitting in my room babbling incoherently to myself about how many interesting double meanings there are in this little one act show. Seeing one's own thoughts spring to life on stage is a blessing I hope they might one day experience for themselves.
Cast
Bobby Gould: Matthias Austin, a sophomore theatre performance major from Wheaton, Ill.
Deeny: Courtney Swenson, a freshman theatre performance major from Landenberg, Pa.
Director: Jon Huffman, a junior theatre performance and English double major from Traverse City, Mich.
Cassandra Quinn Dyar
Civilization and Its Malcontents
Student director Cassandra Quinn Dyar will present Civilization and Its Malcontents, a play written by Stanley Taikeff about a woman studying home economics and nutrition desperately needing to pass her music appreciation course. She seeks the help of a fellow classmate who is a whiz on the topic of music. When she arrives at his apartment, laden with an armful of books a whirlwind of excitement takes place when it is discovered that she knows the wrong material, she is ready with dates and places about Mozart but when it comes to tonality, the jubilate, and the sort, she is totally clueless. He also discovers that he has prepared a meal for the two of them and unknowingly got it all wrong.
Cast
Cassie Mansheim, a freshman psychology major from Burnsville, Minn.
Nathan Capriglione, a sophomore theatre tech and design major from Auburn, Ind.
Director: Cassandra Quinn Dyar, a senior from theatre performance and sociology double major from Bedford, Ind.
I love this play because it captures the idiosyncrasies of human behavior and presents it in a light-hearted and witty fashion, Quinn Dyar said. I've learned from directing it, that this show, and life itself, is like trying to figure out 'Who's on First.' I've realized through working on this play that the human condition is such that the more civilized we become, the more peculiar we tend to be.
Bekah Posegate
Suppressed Desires
Student director Bekah Posegate will present Suppressed Desires, written by Susan Glaspell and George Cram Cook, about a young married couple named Stephen and Henrietta Brewster who live in the stylish age of 1920s New York City, where Henrietta has come under the influence of the posh Freudian psychoanalysis. With the arrival of Henrietta's homebody sister, Mabel, and the revelation of suppressed desires in Stephen and Mabel's sub-unconscious minds, the humorous battle over psychoanalysis comes to an ironic climax.
The humor in this piece is different from our modern idea of humor with a lot more wit and snide comments, which was a great deal of fun to try to work out of these talented actors! Posegate said.
Cast
Henrietta: Kristen Kohaut, a senior theatre performance major from Mount Olive, N.J.
Stephen: Jeff Blossom, a 2006 Huntington University alumnus with a film studies major from Fort Wayne, Ind.
Mabel: Mary Russell, a freshman theatre performance major from Columbia, Mo.
Director: Bekah Posegate, a junior theatre performance major from Lake Villa, Ill.
Matthew Kaestner
I'm Not Stupid
Student director Matthew Kaestner will present I'm Not Stupid. Kaestner is a sophomore theatre performance major from Kingston, Tenn.
