By Ruby Osorio, Class of 2015
Photos by Ruby Osorio and Katie Higgins
Enjoy the talents of Catawba College's newest students when the Theatre Arts Department presents "Fresh Faces," a series of short plays. See the talent of these first-year students as they offer free debut performances at 7:30 p.m. October 7, 8 and 22, and at 2:30 p.m. October 9 and 23 in the Florence Busby Corriher Theatre on campus.
Catawba's tradition of first-year performances began in the fall of 2007. Cast members are all freshman students, other than junior transfer student Alicia Almodovar. Ray Collins of Winston Salem, assisted by senior Zach McRae of Hendersonville, directs the 2011 "Fresh Faces" production that is a series of one-act comedies by David Ives. Other crew members include junior Katie Higgins of Durham, stage manager; sophomore Allison Andrews of Sherrills Ford, assistant stage manager; and sophomore Tyler Elrod of Davidson, technical coordinator.
The short plays offered in "Fresh Faces" include:
Mere Mortals: These three tall tales, Joe, Charlie and Frank, sit 50 stories high off the ground with their heads in the cloud. While each of these goons are outspoken, all have charm. This masculine play has a loud, Northeastern honesty in the dialogue that spares no feelings. While nothing gets past these three like Grey Poupon Mustard on pastrami, there is a comic vulnerability displayed as these friends engage in an average day-to-day debate. Cast members include Iliana Rivera of Burlington, as Joe; Sara Morales of Kannapolis, as Charlie; and Ashley O'Donnell of Rehoboth Beach, Del., as Frank.
Foreplay Or: The Art of Fugue: This romantic comedy exemplifies how many relationships have different qualities, but in the end seem to meet in a similar place in life. The characters Amy, Chuck I, Annie, Chuck II, Alma and Chuck III discover that miniature golf can become a battlefield between the sexes. Cast members include Lara Williams of Wellington, Fla., as Amy; Maggie Saunders of Huntington, W.Va., as Annie; Sara Slusarick of Concord, as Alma; Ryan Miles of Concord, as Chuck I; Eric English of Horse Shoe, as Chuck II; and Donato Clandorf of Chatham, N.Y., as Chuck III.
Time Flies: This is definitely a piece about a date cut short, but it is neither his nor her fault, it is simply life. Horace and May the Mayfly really hit it off and instinctively fall for each other as their hearts buzz. Antenna in Antenna they fly in hopes to beat the clock as nature takes its course. Cast members include Verity Harden of Abilene, Texas, as May; Casey Suddeth of Salisbury, as Horace; and Alicia Almodovar of Port St. Lucie, Fla., as Miss Attenborough.
Degas C'est Moi: A regular guy named Ed discovers he wants to be someone else and not just anybody. Ed wants to be Degas, a dead French Impressionist painter. He longs to escape into his own world where he realizes more and more the beauty of what Degas sees in detail of the perception of the world. He grows an appreciation for the real world around him and realizes how much he has in reality. Keep a close eye on Ed or Degas because you never know where he is going to take you next. Cast members include Ryan Jones of Thomasville, as Degas; Amanda Becker of Fort Mill, S.C., as Doris; Alicia Almodovar of Port St. Lucie, Fla., as Woman I; and Ruby Osorio of Hickory, as Woman II.
The Variations on the Death of Trotsky: Trotsky, a proletariat living in Coyoacan, Mexico, is too close to his enemy. Each day, he lives a nightmare as he sees an unattractive addition to his appearance — a mountain climber's axe. Trotsky gets to relieve this nightmare over and over. Pay attention because this play is a scrambled comedy of facts or implied truth. Cast members include C.J. Mowery of Spencer, as Trotsky I; Michelle Newberger of Lutz, Fla., as Mrs. Trotsky I; Dillon Reid of Mocksville, as Trotsky II; Shannon O'Donnell of Land O Lakes, Fla., as Mrs. Trotsky II; and Ruby Osorio of Hickory, as Ramon Mercader.
Sure Thing: If you could start over, what would you say or do? The conversations between Bill and Betty are often painful, but they give us an honest and comical sense of what goes through the human psyche when you meet a stranger. It just goes to show that if you get it exactly right, you might get the girl. Cast members include Pen Chance of Augusta, Ga., as Bill; Katlyn Shaw of Mt. Airy, as Betty I; and Emily Olszewski of Erie, Pa., as Betty II.
The production of "Fresh Faces" offers free admission. The lobby opens one hour before and the house opens half an hour before curtain. The entire performance will run approximately one hour and 45 minutes. Parental discretion is advised. For more details, contact the Theatre Arts Box Office at (704) 637-4481.
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PHOTOS: "Fresh Faces" First-Year Theatre Production
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