Tickets are available starting Monday, December 1, from noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays. All tickets are $5.To reserve tickets, call (402) 461-7380 or e-mail tickets@hastings.edu.

ĚÇĐÄ´«Ă˝ Department of Theatre Arts Presents the Annual Alpha Psi Omega Production for Youth

Goldilocks on Trial

By Ed Monk

Fun for all ages, this performance puts a new twist on an old storybook classic. Goldilocks is on trial for breaking and entering. Will she be found guilty and sent to jail, or will the truth come out? It’s up to Judge Wallabee and some very silly jurors to decide after hearing testimony from Goldee, the bickering Three Bears, and surprise witness Merwin the Big Bad Wolf, among others.

CAST AND CREW LIST

Directed by Leah Stovall from Grand Island, Nebraska

CAST

Goldilocks – Emma Atuire from Denver, Colorado

Mama Bear – Rebecca Holcomb from Parker, Colorado

Bailiff – Jeff Burke from Colorado Springs, Colorado

Clorox – Doug Johnson from Clay Center, Nebraska

Papa Bear – Corbin Henk from Doniphan, Nebraska

Baby Bear – Nya Sanford from Aurora, Colorado

Cantaloupe – Sarah Easter from Anrath, Germany

Judge – Gregory Matter from Papillion, Nebraska

Little Pig – Nate Mohlman from Blue Hill, Nebraska

Merwin the Wolf – Dodge Weishaar from Bison, South Dakota

District Attorney – Alyssa Rock from Denver, Colorado

Wombat – Cheyenne Knehans from Riverton, Nebraska

Juror 1 – Ronne Cook from Kenesaw, Nebraska

Juror 2 – Stephanie Liebsack from Hastings, Nebraska

Juror 3 – Maddi Gudenkauf from Wellington, Colorado

Juror 4 – Elizabeth Forbes from Aurora, Colorado

Juror 5 – Mohammed Bouayad from Aurora, Colorado

Juror 6 – Susan Sherman from Springfield, Nebraska

Juror 7 – Barrett Russell from Saronville, Nebraska

Juror 8 – James Bachman from Thornton, Colorado

Juror 9 – Grace Rempp from Hastings, Nebraska

Juror 10 – Jordan Samuelson from Kearney, Nebraska

Juror 11 – Mallory Gruben from Eckley, Colorado

Juror 12 – Nathaniel Sass from Hastings, Nebraska

CREW

Stage Manager – Robby Collins from Papillion, Nebraska

Scenic Designer – Jasmine Radetski from Calhan, Colorado

Lighting Designers – Adam Neely from Lincoln, Nebraska,Ěý and Alex Goerner from Yuma, Colorado

Costume Designer – Sallie Myers from Custer, South Dakota

Sound Designer – Andy Jones from Bladen, Nebraska

Prop Master – Tyler Donovan from Denver, Colorado

Box Office – Aaron Pierce from Cozad, Nebraska

Make-up – Emma Parrish from Sterling, Colorado

This press release was written by Amanda Miller, a junior from Woodland Park, Colorado, majoring in journalism.

Shakespeare with Noodles is the brainchild of Margaret Marsh, an adjunct professor of theatre at ĚÇĐÄ´«Ă˝ and Central Community College. Each summer, Marsh and a band of school-age thespians offer up a different Shakespeare play. The plays are shortened to less than an hour and feature many visual comedy elements to hold the attention of audience members young and old. Nearly all of the hand props and Elizabethan costume pieces are made from swimming noodles.

This year, the group will perform “Henry IV Part I.” Performances are scheduled for Saturday, August 2 at 7 p.m. as part of Art in the Park at Libs Park (16^th Street and Baltimore Avenue in Hastings); Saturday, August 9 at 2 p.m. during Kool-Aid Days in downtown Hastings; and Saturday, August 16 at 7 p.m. in McCool Junction. All performances are free, and the public is encouraged to attend.

Marsh is a veteran stage director who has collaborated with Hastings Community Theatre, Nebraska Arts Council, YWCA and the Sandy Dennis Foundation. Last year, she and her company, Mishmash Productions, won the Best Youth Arts Event award for “Enchanted Pumpkin Walk” at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center. She is also a recipient of the Outstanding Director Award from the Nebraska Association of Community Theatres.

Weiss is a classically trained visual artist who transitioned into filmmaking by directing two short documentaries — “Haiti: Real Change” and “Backstage Confidential,” as well as developing a pilot for a reality television series. His documentary about Haiti was runner-up best Nebraska short film at the 2013 Omaha Film Festival. His commercial video production includes work for the NCAA, HBO, Kansas City Chiefs, Ace Hardware and Boys Town

What brought Weiss and Marsh together was the father of one of Marsh’s young performers. Molly Mittan, a senior at Red Cloud High School, is appearing in her fifth Shakespeare with Noodles production this summer. Her father, Chuck Mittan, is a producer and screenwriter.

“I love what Margaret and the kids do, and for several years I’ve thought it would make a great short documentary. I just wasn’t sure how to make it happen,” Mittan said. “Then David and I met while working on another film project I wrote, and he seemed like the right director for it. I pitched it to him, and here we are.”

Mittan currently has several projects in production and several more in development, including a horror feature with a small studio in the United Kingdom. He and Weiss are writing and producing the documentary together, with Weiss directing and doing his own cinematography. When it’s completed later this year, they will begin to submit it to film festivals.

Marsh said she likes to add something new every year, so this year’s production will feature dueling catapults during the battle scene. Audience members should probably be on the lookout for cream pies and flying cows.

The Box Office opens Monday, June 8 and will remain open Monday-Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and for one hour prior to each performance.Ěý Tickets are $10 general and $8 for seniors and non-HC students. To reserve tickets, call (402) 461-7380 or e-mail tickets@hastings.edu.

Ěý

ĚÇĐÄ´«Ă˝ Department of Theatre Arts presents

Diamond Studs: The Life of Jesse James

A Saloon Musical

Music and Lyrics by Bland Simpson (Red Clay Ramblers) and Jim Wann

Book by Jim Wann

This rip-roaring bluegrass musical showcases the life, loves and death of the infamous outlaw Jesse James.Ěý Jesse and his gang commit robberies throughout the American West, imitating the style and manner of Robin Hood, and preying on banks and trains.Ěý Come along for the ride, and don’t lose your purse!

Ěý

CAST AND CREW LIST

Directed by Jim Fritzler, Professor of Theatre Arts

Ěý

Annette Vargas, Hastings, Neb.

Kyle Bell, Julesburg, Colo.

Alex Goerner, Longmont, Colo.

Robby Collins, Papillion, Neb.

Colt Hoselton, Juniata, Neb.

Doyle Hanshaw, Omaha, Neb.

John Johnson, Grand Island, Neb.

Jacob Nienheuser, Hastings, Neb.

Megan Lee, Seward, Neb.

Sarah Nottage-Tacey, Hastings, Neb.

Leah Stovall, Grand Island, Neb.

Robert Lent of Hastings, Neb.

This production contains mature language and themes.

The Box Office opens Thursday, April 24 and will remain open Monday-Friday from noon to 5 p.m.Ěý Tickets are $8 general and $5 for seniors and non-HC students. To reserve tickets, call (402) 461-7380 or e-mail tickets@hastings.edu.

ĚÇĐÄ´«Ă˝ Department of Theatre Arts presents

Fuddy Meers

By David Lindsey-Abaire

This American play is a black comedy about an amnesiac who takes the audience on a kaleidoscopic ride as they see the world through her eyes. Follow along and experience a kidnapping, revelations, and something the New York Times calls a “dark, sweet and thoroughly engaging comedy.”

CAST AND CREW LIST

Directed by Annette M. Vargas, Assistant Professor of Theatre

CLAIRE – Grace Rempp, Hastings, Neb.

RICHARD – Aaron Pierce, Cozad, Neb.

LIMPING MAN / PHILLIP – Patrick White, Omaha, Neb.

GERTIE – Emily Funkey, Hastings, Neb.

MILLET – John Johnson, Grand Island, Neb.

HEIDI – Becca Holloway, Grand Island, Neb.

KENNY – James Bachman, Thornton, Colo.

Stage Manager – Tyler Donovan, Westminster, Colo.

Assistant Stage Manager – Laurel Teal, Castle Rock, Colo.

Scenic Crew Head – Jasmine Radetski, Calhan, Colo.

Crew – Nyanial Rial, Grand Island, Neb.

Crew – Intro to Theatre Students

Lighting Crew Head – Natalie Lange, Parker, Colo.

Crew – Gregory Matter, Melbourne, Fla.

Costume / Makeup Crew Head – Abby Phelps, Emporia, Kan.

Crew – Beau Neville, Alliance, Neb.

Sound Crew Head – Andy Jones, Bladen, Neb.

Crew – Alex Goerner, Longmont, Colo.

Properties Crew Head – Robby Collins, Papillion, Neb.

Crew – Zaidya Hirschman, Norfolk, Neb.

Run Crew Head – Adam Neely, Lincoln, Neb.

Crew – Desiree Herling, Hiawatha, Kan.

Crew – Michael Sadd, Hastings, Neb.

Box Office / House Manager – Jacob Gilchrist, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Note to Media: Press nights are at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, April 28-29, in Scott Studio Theatre. For more information, contact Annette Vargas at (402) 461-7349 or avargas@hastings.edu.

The performances are scheduled for June 13, 14, 20 and 21, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. and on June 15 and 22, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. – all in Scott Studio Theatre. Ticket information will be released at a later date.

“It’s a vaudeville review of the life of Jesse James, made up of about 90 percent lies and 10 percent truths. It’s a goofy, bluegrass country musical,” said Jim Fritzler, Director and Chair of the ĚÇĐÄ´«Ă˝ Theatre Arts Department. “We picked it one, for the topic of him because he’s a little bit Western, and then we’ve got a lot of bluegrass-interested musicians in the area.Ěý It’s very funny, and then very sweet and moving.”

This is only the second year that ĚÇĐÄ´«Ă˝ has had the Summerstage program. It is designed to allow local students the opportunity to participate in additional theater experiences without having the expense of travel and enrollment. Several students may also receive paid positions creating set pieces, working backstage and acting.

“Most colleges have some kind of a summer program, and here in central Nebraska, we realized that a lot of our students didn’t have the money to be in a summer stock somewhere, or the time,” Fritzler said. “We started this summer program to help give them the semi-professional setting, like a summer stock, for our students to do here instead of having to travel somewhere.”

Fritzler also began the program last summer in an effort to involve the Hastings community during the summer months in a way that is difficult to arrange during the school year. Members of the community are invited to audition and take part in the production alongside current and recently-graduated college students.

“Last year was a total experiment; we had never done it [before],” Fritzler said. “It was really successful for a first outing, but we’ve learned a lot about what not to do and what to do differently.Ěý The college has been really supportive of the idea, so that helps.”