Culver-Stockton鈥檚 fall mainstage production, 鈥淭he Blind,鈥� was made available on YouTube during the fall semester from October 23-31. Now it has been chosen for presentation during one of eight regional festivals as part of the Kennedy Center鈥檚 American College Theatre Festival, a national theatre program that recognizes and celebrates the finest and most diverse work produced by colleges and universities across the country.

This year鈥檚 festival in Region V, which consists of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, will be virtual. C-SC鈥檚 production, one of 12 that was selected, will be offered on YouTube from January 16-23. The weeklong festival also offers competitions and workshops in multiple areas.

鈥淲e have had invited scenes before, but this is the first time a Culver-Stockton theatre production has been invited to the festival in whole,鈥� said Dr. Haidee Heaton, a professor of theatre and chair of the theatre and communications departments. 鈥淚t is a big honor to recognized by our region. In a time of such flux for our artform, it is a true testament to our students鈥� adaptability, trust in our program and willingness to experiment that we are allowed this wonderful opportunity.鈥�

鈥淭he Blind,鈥� written by Maurice Maeterlinck and translated by Suzanne Burgoyne, is a one-act tale of hope and despair. Eight sightless people sit in wait for their caretaker to arrive and help them find their way home, but elements of the outside world present obstacles at every turn. 鈥淭he Blind鈥� was written in 1890 but remains all-too familiar today as society attempts to navigate an ever-changing, ever-challenging world.

The C-SC Theatre Department reversed the norm of the theatre-going experience by only relying on actors鈥� voices while allowing design elements to visually stand front and center. 鈥淭he Blind鈥� was directed by Heaton and designed by Seth Campbell, assistant professor of theatre. Michael York served as assistant technical director.

The cast consisted of:

• Talia Schneider, a sophomore musical theatre major from Altamont, Ill.;
• Kaitlyn Conaway, a senior English education major from Steelville, Mo.;
• Krista Barth, a senior English education major from Bloomington, Ill.;
• Remington Jarvis, a senior theatre major from Canton, Mo.;
• Kar’Mel Brewer, a senior music education major from St. Louis;
• Noah Klauser, a freshman English education major from Quincy;
• Alex Siron, a senior music education major from Paris, Mo.;
• Jace Murphy, a freshman theatre major from Austin, Texas;
• Timothy Pence, a freshman music education major from Lincoln, Ill.;
• Courtney Deeds, a senior theatre major from Springfield, Mo.;
• Cassie Williams, a freshman musical theatre major from Thomas, Okla.;
• Lindsey Miller, a senior English major from Camdenton, Mo.;
• Arysta Snyder, a freshman business administration major from Rutledge, Mo.;
• Anna Gabel, a sophomore art education major from Quincy, Ill.;
• Emma Hackett, a sophomore theatre major from Buffalo, Mo.

Kristen Lippold, a senior English education major from Carlinville, Ill., was the stage manager for the production.

Students in Culver-Stockton鈥檚 fine arts program have the opportunity to design mainstage productions and direct full-length shows. They perform in productions as early as their first semester. Four mainstage productions, including multiple student-directed one act plays and one musical, are produced each year. Go to聽聽to learn more about the theatre program.

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CANTON, Mo.聽鈥� The 乱伦社区 Department of Theatre will present its next mainstage production, 鈥淭he Blind,鈥� in a virtual format beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 and available through midnight on Saturday, Oct. 31.聽The link is above.

鈥淭he Blind,鈥� written by Maurice Maeterlinck and translated by Suzanne Burgoyne, is a one-act tale of hope and despair as eight sightless people sit in wait for their caretaker鈥檚 arrival while elements of the outside world present obstacles at every turn. 鈥淭he Blind鈥� was written in 1890 but remains all-too familiar today as society attempts to navigate an ever-changing, ever-challenging world.

The C-SC Theatre Department is presenting this production in an experimental virtual format, reversing the norm of the theatre-going experience by only relying on actors鈥� voices while allowing design elements to visually stand front and center. 鈥淭he Blind鈥� is directed by Dr. Haidee Heaton, professor of theatre, and designed by Seth Campbell, assistant professor of theatre.聽 Michael York serves as assistant technical director.

The cast consists of:

• Talia Schneider, a sophomore musical theatre major from Altamont, Ill.;
• Kaitlyn Conaway, a senior English education major from Steelville, Mo.;
• Krista Barth, a senior English education major from Bloomington, Ill.;
• Remington Jarvis, a senior theatre major from Canton, Mo.;
• Kar’Mel Brewer, a senior music education major from St. Louis;
• Noah Klauser, a freshman English education major from Quincy;
• Alex Siron, a senior music education major from Paris, Mo.;
• Jace Murphy, a freshman theatre major from Austin, Texas;
• Timothy Pence, a freshman music education major from Lincoln, Ill.;
• Courtney Deeds, a senior theatre major from Springfield, Mo.;
• Cassie Williams, a freshman musical theatre major from Thomas, Okla.;
• Lindsey Miller, a senior English major from Camdenton, Mo.;
• Arysta Snyder, a freshman business administration major from Rutledge, Mo.;
• Anna Gabel, a sophomore art education major from Quincy, Ill.;
• Emma Hackett, a sophomore theatre major from Buffalo, Mo.

Kristen Lippold, a senior English education major from Carlinville, Ill., will be the stage manager for the production.

Students can receive ACE credit for watching this performance.

For more details or information on the links to the production, contact the fine arts office at 573-288-6436 or finearts@culver.edu.

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Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 13, 14 and 15, with a 3 p.m. matinee set for Feb. 16.

After conducting interviews with more than 200 women about their own encounters with sex, relationships, and violence, playwright Eve Ensler crafted their experiences into a series of stories designed to raise awareness and anger in reaction to violence against women. She performed these stories herself as monologues in 1996. Subsequent revisions using women of various ages have enhanced awareness of the extent of violence to more than youth.

Faculty and members of the community will join student performers to emphasize the scope of this issue. Dr. Haidee Heaton will direct 鈥淭he Vagina Monologues,鈥� which contains subject matter
that is adult in nature.

The ensemble cast consists of:

• Krista Barth, a senior English education major from Bloomington, Ill.
• Vanessa Bolen, a senior psychology major from Beardstown, Ill.
• Kaitlyn Conaway, a senior English education and theatre major from Steelville, Mo.
• Courtney Deeds, a senior theater major from Fair Grove, Mo.
• Anna Gabel, a freshman art major from Quincy, Ill.
• Emma Hackett, a freshman art major from Buffalo, Mo.
• Brianna Holder, a junior music education major from Moberly, Mo.
• Rebecca (Bex) Holley, a junior legal studies major from Thomson, Ill.
• Lindsey Miller, a junior English major from Camdenton, Mo.
• Naomi Mosley, a senior business administration major from Urbana, Ill.
• Carly Poteet, a senior elementary education major from Quincy, Ill.
• Sam Scott, a senior psychology and criminal justice major from Metropolis, Ill.
• Shannon Tournear, a junior mathematics education major from Vermont, Ill.
• Dr. Alissa Burger, assistant professor of English at C-SC, will be the narrator. Deeds is the assistant director. Jace Murphy, a freshman theater major from Austin, Texas, will be the stage manager, and the dramaturg will be Kenna Armstrong, a junior history education major from Oquawka, Ill.

Performances are open to the public. Tickets are $10 apiece for adults and $5 for non-C-SC students as part of theatre department and academic and cultural events programming.

Contact the C-SC Fine Arts Office at 573-288-6346 for more information.

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