March 22, 2011

Morningside theatre department to present “Spoon River Anthology”

The Morningside College theatre department will present “Spoon River Anthology” at 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, April  14 to 16, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 17, at Klinger-Neal Theatre, 3700 Peters Avenue.

The play is from the Charles Aidman adaption of the Edgar Lee Masters book “Spoon River Anthology,” a collection of short poems that describes life in the fictional town of Spoon River, named after the real Spoon River that ran near Masters’ home town of Lewistown, Ill. The collection included 212 separate characters and 244 accounts of their lives and losses.

The actors in the play will perform multiple character roles and most will also sing. The director is Bette Skewis-Arnett, professor of theatre. Michael Rohlena, visiting assistant professor of theatre & dance, is the scenic and lighting designer. Stephen Lundberg, a member of Morningside’s adjunct faculty, is the musical director and accompanist.

Cast members are Michael Bryant, a senior from Farragut, Tenn.; Brianna Carter, a senior from Sioux City; Tasha Drey, a freshman from Storm Lake, Iowa; Brittney Foxhoven, a senior from South Sioux City, Neb.; Donna Habinck, a freshman from Mapleton, Iowa; Cristina McCrystal, a sophomore from Sloan, Iowa; Haleigh Pigott, a freshman from Sioux City; Jennifer Kinzey, a sophomore from Sioux City; Maddie Mardesen, a junior from Elliott, Iowa; Andrew Poeckes, a freshman from Remsen, Iowa; Athena Riesenberg, a senior from Sioux City; Jake Sandvick, a senior from Sioux City; Nathan Schwartz, a senior from Sioux City; Nancy Seeman, a sophomore from Stanton, Neb.; Annalise Tecken, a freshman from George, Iowa; and Elijah Wolf, a freshman from Denison, Iowa.

The assistant director is J.J. Sitzmann, a senior from Sioux City. Other members of the crew are Juliene Brown, a freshman from Omaha, Neb., light board operator; Andrew Curry, a junior from Urbandale, Iowa, back stage manager; Laura Krengel, a junior from Wyoming, Minn., stage manager; Aimee Little, a freshman from Louisville, Ky., props mistress; and Melissa Richter, a freshman from Rock Valley, Iowa, house manager.

General admission is $5. Reservations can be made by calling the Klinger-Neal Theatre Box Office at (712) 274-5702 or by e-mail at theatre@morningside.edu.