Wooster's 'Nocturne' to be Staged at the Kennedy Center

Patrick Midgley (left) and Noah Lyons star in "Nocturne," which will be presented by The College of Wooster April 17 at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Washington, D.C.

» Nocturne Slideshow

WOOSTER, Ohio - The College of Wooster's production of "Nocturne" will move to one of the nation's most prestigious venues when it is performed at the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival on Tuesday, April 17, in Washington, D.C.

"To be chosen for this event is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Shirley Huston-Findley, director of "Nocturne" and associate professor of theatre at Wooster. "It reflects the excellence of the production, particularly from a small liberal arts college like Wooster."

"Nocturne," a tragic drama by Adam Rapp, is one of four shows selected from a field of approximately 400 entries across the nation. The other three entries are Albright College's "Waiting for Godot," Cal State Fullerton's "The Diviners," and Boise State's "In the Sawtooths," an original work by student Dano Madden.

"This is a really big deal," said Huston-Findley. "It's great recognition for the department and the college. We competed with many large colleges and universities, including some that have MFA (Master of Fine Arts) programs, which proves that exceptional art can thrive wherever there is dedication and passion coming from all those involved."

As for how Wooster advanced to the "Final Four," Huston-Findley pointed to the performance of lead actor Patrick Midgley and his supporting cast as well as the production team's "simple and honest approach to the text."

In addition to Midgley, cast members Noah Lyons, Rachel Fichter, Meredith Overcash, Alana Cueller, and Alex Gauvin will reprise their roles. The traveling party will also include costume designer Myron Elliott, stage manager Courtney Cooke, sound designer Chuck Findley, technical director Vicki Horning, and scenery and lighting designer Dale Seeds, professor of theatre at Wooster, who described his experience as both "challenging and liberating."

"We had to work with limited scenery, so we had to be creative," said Seeds. "I'll bet we spent less than $500 for the entire set."

Among the items Seeds has included are the front end of a rusty 1970 Buick, which he rescued from a local junkyard and restored to its original cream color with some nifty body work. He has also added an authentic 1970 Illinois license plate that he picked up on eBay, a pink girl's bicycle, and a black piano bench. The most creative aspect of the set is a mid-air display of sheet music from Edvard Grieg's original score, which appears as though it had been taken from a note book and scattered in the wind.

"You only have so many items to work with in a show like this," said Seeds, "so you have to make every one count. Our goal was to illustrate these articles as if they were fragments of the lead character's memory."

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) is the largest organization of its kind dedicated to encouraging, recognizing, and celebrating the finest and most diverse work produced in university and college theatre programs. It is a student-centered organization that focuses on the art of production: acting, directing, design, playwriting, and criticism.

"We're very excited about this," said Seeds. "It has all come together at the right time. It's as if everything - the script, the actors, the technical staff, and the director - has aligned."

Tickets for the production at the Kennedy Center go on sale March 18 and can be purchased by calling 800-444-1324 or 202-467-4600. Tickets are also available through the Kennedy Center's Web site (www.kennedy-center.org/education/actf/). Children under 12 years of age will not be admitted to KCACTF performances. A preview performance will be held Sunday, April 15, at The College of Wooster. The show, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 8:15 p.m. in Freedlander Theatre (329 E. University St.).