by M. B. Miller & Megan Burnett
Alice Lloyd College’s Eagle Theatre is proud to present its 2013 Spring Production, which will be performed on April 4th, 5th, and 6th at 7:30 PM in the Estelle Campbell Center for the Arts located on the College’s campus in Pippa Passes, KY. The event includes four 10-minute plays, and all performances are free.
Megan Burnett, Alice Lloyd’s Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre, normally serves as director, but this year, she has decided to turn things over to the students.
“This year’s Spring Play Production is a tribute to our students,” says Burnett. “It’s a student-directed showcase and features ALC students as the directors, actors, designers, technicians, and more. I have chosen the role of Producing Artistic Director, which means that I’ve basically been the guide and mentor for the overall production.”
The students will present four plays and a slideshow each evening. The slideshows, created by students Anna Mae Meadows and Destiny Caldwell, provide an insider’s view into the world of theatre rehearsals — the good, the bad, the ugly, and the just plain silly. The cartoons are infused with great humor and fun and reveal the discoveries and pitfalls experienced by the students as they crafted the plays.
“Our focus this year has been on the process of choosing scripts and directors, casting, design work, and different rehearsal styles and techniques,” Burnett explained. “I wanted the students to learn exactly what it takes to get from a concept to production. I’ve enjoyed being there to help them as they explored these challenges for themselves.”
Each play runs from 10-12 minutes. The first, titled Bullying: A Teenage Killer, was written and directed by Jesse Short. The play deals with the very real and unfortunate fact that many students are bullied in high school. It goes beyond the surface to explore why a bully might be cruel to someone else and if they are capable of change. Lamb to the Slaughter, adapted from a short story by Roald Dahl and directed by Tonya Perry, is a “pre-CSI” murder mystery. The play asks the questions: What happens when a man becomes tired of his wife? What are her options? Think Edgar Allan Poe meets Sweeney Todd.
Student Brittany Brock has directed Singleton: Medal Winner, which explores the pain and anguish experienced by a Civil War soldier. His wounds and scars only hide deeper worries and sorrows. Audiences will meet his surgeon and the soldier seeking to award Singleton the Medal of Valor. Heads, directed by Michaela Woodall, is a contemporary look at three women in a college dormitory who are facing very different futures. Can the flip of a coin be the difference between going nowhere and having the world at your feet? Then, a wallet, belonging to a potentially very rich male student, is found and creates a world of possibilities for at least two women. But how will they choose who gets the man?
All performances are free and open to the public. Concessions will be available and donations to Alice Lloyd’s Eagle Theatre are gratefully accepted.
2013 Alice Lloyd College Spring Production
Producer/Artistic Director: Megan Burnett
Production Stage Manager: Amelia Johnson
Bullying: A Teenage Killer
Director: Jesse Short
Stage Manager: Candy Hughes
Cast:
Patrick Harris
Jennifer Lewis
Crilda Brown
Joshua Green
Lauren Wolfe
Megan Spradlin
Kayla Gooslin
Darrel Coker
Bryce Sergent
Lamb to the Slaughter
Director: Tonya Perry
Stage Manager: Katie Kelley
Cast:
Alessandra D’Amato
Zach Nickles
Adam Stepp
Bryce Sergent
April Spears
Singleton: Medal Winner
Director: Brittany Brock
Stage Manager: Kristen Reed
Cast:
Jackson Driskill
Clayton Osborne
Joshua Green
Heads
Director: Michaela Woodall
Stage Manager: Brittany Hamilton
Cast:
Tonya Perry
Alessandra D’Amato
Candy Hughes
Marketing/Publicity Manager: Dustin Collins
Dramaturge/Cartoonist: Anna Meadows
Costume Designers:
Charleigh Hall
Katie Kelley
Jesse Hayes
Set Designer: Zach Nickles
Sound/Animation/Lighting Design:
Destiny Caldwell
Sarah Spears
Stage Crew:
Kuran Mitchell
Jessie Wilks
Alisha Stewart
Kelsey Crisp
Jacob Bryant
Devan Adams
Tech Crew:
Andrea House
Corey Paige
Chris Bowen