MAGNOLIA – Two theatre majors from Southern Arkansas University will soon be performing on stage in New York City.
Junior theatre major Amanda Cannon of Drasco and sophomore theatre Major Christian Williams of Hope have been cast in a staged reading of the impressionistic classic play “The Hairy Ape” by Eugene O’Neill. The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, at the Birdge Theatre in New York.
Cannon and Williams will be performing under the direction of Clayton Guiltner, who was commissioned by the Sanguine Theatre Company of New York to direct this staged reading commemorating the birthday of the famous playwright, Eugene O’Neil. Guiltner will be directing a cast of 14 professional actors from New York, along with Cannon and Williams.
Cannon will be playing the role of The Woman, who serves as an important catalysis to the unraveling of the protagonist in the play. Williams will be playing the role of a Stoker, who is an integral part of the progression of the story.
In early September, Guiltner held a special audition for SAU theatre students who were interested in the roles. Students who auditioned were required to perform a memorized monologue, provide an acting resume, and write an essay explaining why they felt the trip would benefit their career. Funding for the student’s trip is being provided from the College of Liberal and Performing Arts as well as the Department of Theatre and Mass Communication.
This is the first opportunity the Department of Theatre and Mass Communication has provided for students to receive direct experience in a major entertainment market. The idea to include Guiltner’s students stemmed from a goal implemented by Dr. Trey Berry, dean of the College of Liberal and Performing Arts, for professors to find ways to practice instruction outside of the classroom when possible.
The New York project mirrors topics being taught in upper-level classes being offered this semester called “Auditions and Business.” In this course, theatre students learn the nature of the entertainment business and are given the tools to find work in their chosen career field. Cannon and Williams will be giving a presentation of what they learned while in New York to class upon their return.
