Goshen College's fall mainstage play 'Big Love' to be performed Oct. 30-Nov. 8

GOSHEN, Ind. – The stage has been converted into a huge, empty swimming pool for Goshen College's fall mainstage play, "Big Love," written by Charles Mee and directed by Michelle Milne. This whimsical, contemporary take on an ancient Greek play will be performed in Umble Center on Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.; Nov. 1, 7 and 8 at 3 p.m.

Big Love is a contemporary play based on one of the oldest existing play scripts in the world – an ancient Greek play "The Suppliants" by Aeschylus. "The play is both fast-moving and thought-provoking. It incorporates humor, absurdity, extreme physicality, stereotypes, opposing ideologies, violence and intimacy. It raises questions about responsibility to others, responsibility to ourselves and obligations to tradition/authority," said Milne.

Like other productions directed by Milne, this play will include Milne's "signature staging full of movement and audience engagement," said Doug Liechty Caskey, chair of the GC Theater Department. The set was designed by Goshen College alumnus Dave Nofsinger, who is a professional set designer and teaches at the University of Memphis, and Anne Berry, Goshen College assistant professor of art.

In the play's plot, 50 sisters seek asylum from a contract made by their father when they were infants, who promised them in marriage to their 50 cousins. The women point out that they weren't consulted when the contract was made; the men claim that a contract is a contract. A wide range of opinions are put forth, and pleas are made by both sides to their Italian hosts.

The cast includes sophomore Brittany Lentz (Chambersburg, Pa.), senior Beth Glick (Goshen), sophomore Emily Bowman (Millersburg, Ind.), senior Angela Noah (Saginaw, Mich.), freshman Vanessa Hofer (Dolton, S.D.), junior Adriel Santiago (Souderton, Pa.), junior Patrick Ressler (Lititz, Pa.), sophomore Phil Stoesz (Goshen), freshman Nathan Stoess (Louisville, Ky.), freshman Sam Jones (Trail City, S.D.) and sophomore Jay Mast (Goshen).

The chorus includes sophomore Peter Garry (Pahoa, Hawaii), junior Meg Kennell (Roanoke, Ill.), senior Kristina Mast (Corvallis, Ore.), sophomore Jay Mast (Goshen), freshman Sammy Rosario (Toa Baja, Puerto Rico), senior Jacob Schlabach (St. Paul, Minn.) and senior Emily Taylor (South Bend, Ind.).

The Theater Department has rated this play PG-13. Tickets cost $8 adults, $5 students/seniors and can be purchased by calling the Goshen College Welcome Center in advance at (574) 535-7566.

American Sign Language interpretation will be available on Nov. 8. Umble Center is accessible to wheelchairs and people with other physical limitations.

Upcoming GC theater productions in the 2009-10 "Think For Yourself" season:

Winter One Acts: To be announced
Jan. 29-31, 2010

Spring Mainstage: "Tartuffe" written by Moliere and directed by Doug Liechty Caskey
March 19-21, 26-28, 2010

May Musical: To be announced
May 16-18, 2010

Editors: For more information about this release or to arrange an interview, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction," "Making a Difference College Guide" and U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college." Visit www.goshen.edu.