'Bus Stop' arriving in Memorial Hall
The Chadron State College theatre program will soon be boarding audience members for its production of “Bus Stop,” a romantic tale of a young cowboy’s cross-country pursuit of a night club singer.
The production runs Thursday through Saturday, April 19-21, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 22, at 2 p.m. in the Memorial Hall Auditorium.
“Bus Stop,” written by William Inge and popularized on Broadway and in a movie featuring Marilyn Monroe, tells the story of Bo Decker and Cherie the chanteuse.
Decker, portrayed by Willis Miller of Deer Trail, Colo., follows Cherie, played by Ashley Rushman of Gurley, across the Great Plains in an effort to get her to marry him and accompany him back to his Montana ranch. Cherie wants no part of it and enlists the protection of the local sheriff, played by Ryan Helton of Grand Island. The story begins in 1955 when a Kansas blizzard prompts the bus driver, depicted by Josh Hoffman of Morrill, and all his passengers to spend the night at Grace’s Diner.
“Audiences will immediately recognize all of these beautifully drawn characters, and quickly find a lot of themselves in the characters’ values, passions, pursuits and their uniquely Midwestern acceptance of life’s joys and inevitabilities,” said Roger Mays, CSC director of theatre.
Inge, a native of Independence, Kan., became known as the “Playwright of the Midwest” before his death at age 60 in 1973. Many of his works involved stories of small-town life and were set in the U.S. heartland. Mays said many regard him to be one of the best American playwrights of the 20th century.
To hear commentary from the cast and crew of "Bus Stop," people may visit the "Behind the Scenes" link on the theatre program's website.
Tickets may be obtained by contacting the CSC box office at 308-432-6207 or boxoffice@csc.edu. They also will be sold at the door if available.
The cast:
Becci French, Alliance, Elma the Waitress; Ryan Helton, Grand Island, Will the Sheriff; HeatherAnn Hicks, Brigham City, Utah, Grace the Diner Owner; Josh Hoffman, Morrill, Carl the Bus Driver; Willis Miller, Deer Trail, Colo., Bo Decker; Ashley Rushman, Gurley, Cherie the Chanteuse; Jacob Smiley, Bassett, Virgil the Ranch Hand; Evan Torkelsen, San Leandro, Calif., Dr. Lyman the Former Professor.
Category: Campus News, Theatre