Student-written Winter One Acts explore cultural issues
Event: Winter One Acts
Date and time: Feb. 13 (ASL interpreted) and 14 at 8 p.m.; Feb. 15 at 3 p.m.
THE SATURDAY, FEB. 14 PERFORMANCE IS CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER
Location: Goshen College Umble Center
Cost: $5, tickets available at the door or online
The Goshen College Theater Department will perform three plays during the Winter One Acts – “Reality TV Island,” “Miniature Migrants” and “Confianza” – on Friday, Feb. 13 (ASL interpreted), and Saturday, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. in Goshen College’s Umble Center.
All three plays are written and directed by current Goshen College students, and explore popular ideas and issues in the United States through both humor and seriousness.
“The Winter One Acts are a vital part of GC’s educational theater program, providing students with the opportunity to further develop skills in both leadership and collaboration,” said Doug Liechty Caskey, professor of theater and producer. “So it’s doubly exciting when the plays we’re offering this year are also written by our own students.”
“Reality TV Island” is written by Kate Yoder, a senior art and English writing double major from Elkhart, Indiana. The play is directed by Adrienne Schmucker, a junior theater major from Wauseon, Ohio. Peter Meyer Reimer, a senior biology and interdisciplinary major from Goshen, is stage manager.
The play focuses on a group of young adults on a deserted island who encounter an unexpected set of tasks. What follows is a fun-filled quest for entertainment—until one of them begins to question how they are going to remain alive. “Reality TV Island” highlights the tendency humans have to blindly follow the rules of society, and the tendency to push aside voices of dissent.
The cast for “Reality TV Island” includes James Austen Lang, a freshman theater major from Portland, Oregon; Christina Hofer, a junior theater and interdisciplinary major from Dolton, South Dakota; Ally Medellin, a sophomore social work major from Goshen; and Morgan Yordy, a freshman peace, justice and conflict studies and history double major from Rochelle, Illinios.
“Miniature Migrants” is written by Kolton Nay, a senior English writing major from Dover, Ohio, and directed by Sarah Lake-Rayburn, a senior theater major from Champaign, Illinios. Martin Flowers, a junior music and theater major from Nappannee, Indiana, is stage manager.
Exploring some of the issues surrounding border crossings, “Miniature Migrants” tells the tale of two children, Angie and Eric. When their family runs out of options, it’s up to Angie and Eric to provide the food to survive.
The cast for “Minature Migrants” includes Becca Slabaugh, a junior interdisciplinary major from Goshen; Karsten Hess, a senior interdisciplinary major from Goshen; Kasey Prentice, a freshman American Sign Language interpreting major from Angola, Indiana; Ben Ganger, a junior music major from Goshen; and Morgan Yordy.
The third performance will be a staged reading of “Confianza,” written and directed by Angel Reyes, Jr., a senior theater major from Leesburg, Indiana, as part of his senior recital requirement. Paul Zehr, a junior music and theater major from Carthage, New York, is stage manager.
The Spanish word confianza can be translated to various English words, including “confidence,” “trust” and “hope.” In an effort to show one way a family works in times of trouble, Reyes bears witness to some of the change in his own work as an artist and as an individual. With the right support and resources, the preconceived notion of “impossible” can be made reality.
The cast for “Confianza” includes Angel Reyes, Jr.; Ally Medellin; Angeliky Santos, a senior youth ministry and history major from Goshen; Brett Conrad, a senior theater and psychology major from Lakewood, Colorado; Elia Nochipa Saria Salinas of Goshen; Austin Reith, a freshman music major from Goshen; Crystopher Echavarria, a sophomore physics and biology major from Schaumburg, Illinois; Joanlier Hernandez, a sophomore Spanish major from Elkhart, Indiana; Becca Slabaugh; and Clayton Pelfrey, a senior informatics major from Middlebury, Indiana.
Doug Liechty Caskey, professor of theater, is the producer for the Winter One Acts, and Andrew Moeggenborg, assistant professor of theater, is the technical director and props manager. Other members of the production team include: Clara Beck, a freshman from Archbold, Ohio, house manager; Brett Conrad, master carpenter; Ben Ganger, master electrician; Melanie Hertzler, a senior from Goshen, house manager; Tabitha Immanuel, a freshman from New Delhi, India, sound designer; Sarah Lake-Rayburn, costume shop manager; Austin Reith, set designer and builder; Noemi Salvador, a sophomore from Quito, Ecuador, sound board operator; Hannah Sauder, a junior from Lititz, Pennsylvania, hair and make-up; Mary Seeck, a freshman from Sharonville, Ohio, costume designer; Katie Shank, a freshman from New Paris, Indiana, light board operator; Riley Woods, a sophomore from North Manchester, Indiana, light designer; and Paul Zehr, a junior from Carthage, New York, assistant technical director.
Tickets for the show cost $5 and are available through the Welcome Center by calling (574) 535-7566, online at goshen.edu/tickets or at the Umble Center Box Office an hour before the show. There will be no intermission.