'Criminals in Love' opens Nov. 15

The free production is for mature audiences only. Tickets are not required but theatregoers are recommended to reserve seats.

“Criminals in Love” features Junior played by Caleb Twite of White River, South Dakota, a goofy post-adolescent, and Gail played by Courtney Smith of Hampton, Nebraska, a smart girl Junior is in love with. Junior’s criminal father, Henry, played by Carter Thiele of Oakland, Nebraska, blackmails Junior into committing a crime.

Fearful of his potential criminal destiny, Junior is caught between his desire to go straight, and the possibility of falling into the same life as his father.

“He [Junior] just wants to live his life and doesn’t want to follow the footsteps of his dad who is a criminal. He has kind of convinced himself that he has no other path in his life than becoming a criminal like his dad, and that’s the last thing he wants to do,” Twite said in the Behind the Scenes video.

Junior finds himself working with an unlikely group, including William, a homeless man played by Casey Kukowski of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, his aunt Wineva played by Megan Black of West Valley City, Utah, Gail’s best friend Sandy, played by Shanie Hollenbeck of Estelline, South Dakota, and Gail, making the outcome of the situation uncertain.

“Junior and Gail don’t try to put themselves in the situation they are in. They’re in a predicament and have to figure out what to do with it,” Hollenbeck said in the video.

While the play covers a serious topic, it has comedic moments.

“It goes in a lot of different directions, scene after scene. You’re never really sure what to expect,” Black said in the video.

Mickenzi Loyd of Big Piney, Wyoming, is the assistant director alongside director Roger Mays. CSC alumna Anna Owen was in charge of the play’s costume design.