Four men and four women will play 57 different characters in Catawba College’s production of “The Dining Room.” The production opens on Tuesday, Feb. 10th in Hedrick Little Theatre on campus and runs through Saturday, Feb. 14th.
This play, like other writings by A.R. Gurney, examines middle-class American life and actually launched Gurney into playwriting. It is an ensemble piece, comprised of 18 scenes, all of which take place in a single dining room. The eight actors play characters ranging in age from five to 80, and all of these characters share the common experience of living in this single room over the course of approximately 100 years.
“The Dining Room” is directed by Dr. Elizabeth A. Homan, an assistant professor of theatre arts at Catawba. Other crew members include stage manager Zack Lynch, a sophomore from Selbyville, Del.; assistant stage manager Josh Hodgson, a junior from High Point; and set designer Corey Burckhalter, a senior from Elma, N.Y.
Cast members in the production’s ensemble include Mike Matthias, a senior from Georgetown, Del.; Jen Short, a senior from Jersey City, N.J.; Chris Clowers, a sophomore from Whitefish Bay, Wis.; Vanessa Malanga, junior from Rutherfordton; Amanda Lederer, a junior from Bradenton, Fla.; Justin Duncan, a senior from Raeford; Chris Herring, a sophomore from Oakboro; and Carmen Bartlett, a junior from Charlotte.
This production is recommended for theatre-goers age 12 years and older. Show times are 6:55 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 10 and 11, and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 12, 13 and 14. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for senior citizens and non-Catawba students. Group discounts are available. For more details, contact the Catawba College Theatre Box Office at 704-637-4481.