April 9, 2007 :: No. 168
| Who: |
Department of Theatre and Dance at Cal State Fullerton |
| What: |
Award-winning theatrical production “THE DIVINERS” selected for national honors and performance in Washington, D.C. |
| When/Where: |
8 p.m. April 18 and 19
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C |
| Background: |
Cal State Fullerton’s recent production of “The Diviners” has been selected by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) for national honors and performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. “This is a rare privilege that we have enjoyed before, but it is always a grand surprise for our department and an exciting opportunity for our students,” notes Susan Hallman, CSUF theatre and dance chair. “It is especially notable as the production is directed by a CSUF graduate student, Patrick Pearson, and features CSUF student designs in scenery, costumes, lighting, makeup and sound.”
Written by James Leonard Jr., “The Diviners” won the National Student Playwriting Award at the 1980 KCACTF. An instant hit, the play was staged at New York’s Circle Repertory Company. Leonard has received the Dramatists Guild New Play Award, two New York Villager Awards and three National Endowment for the Arts playwriting fellowships.
“The Diviners” centers around Buddy, a teenager who becomes mentally impaired when he nearly drowns as a toddler — and loses his mother, who dies in the process of saving his life. Consequently, Buddy is mortally afraid of water and hasn’t washed in 12 years. After the tragedy however, he has been bestowed the gift of divining water. Buddy befriends another diviner, C.C. Showers, a preacher from Kentucky burned out on preaching. Through their friendship, Buddy finds salvation, and Showers heals his wounds.
Jennifer Komar is scenic designer; Renee Duron is costume designer; Katy Streeter is lighting designer; Megan Evers is makeup designer; and sound designer is Darcy Wood.
The cast includes: Louis Pardo as Basil Bennett, Jeff Leatherwood as Dewey Maples, Eric Czuleger as Buddy Layman, Gregg Hammer as Melvin Wilder, Alison Friedman as Luella Bennett, Valorie Curry as Jennie May Layman, Dan Evers as C.C. Showers, Brian Turley as Ferris Layman, Autumn Nicole Hymes as Norma Henshaw, Monique Gonsalves as Goldie Short and Ashley Kane as Darlene Henshaw. |
| Website: |
http://www.fullerton.edu/arts/events/ |
| Sponsor: |
Panera Bread is sponsor of the 2007-08 CSUF Theatre and Dance season. |
| Media Contacts: |
Jim Volz, Department of Theatre and Dance, 657-278-3538
Elizabeth Champion, College of the Arts, 657-278-2434
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