Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Fine Arts Department has been preparing since August for the production “Anti-Social,” a collection of seven short, comedic plays. Now the public can witness their work Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 29 at 2 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium on the Alva campus. Admission is $2 for students and $5 for the general public.
Fine Arts Department Chair and professor of theatre arts Kimberly Weast is the executive producer and one of the five directors for this production. Weast said she realized she might need help, knowing there was a limited amount of time to rehearse 700 hours, so she asked a few Northwestern alumni who still lived in Alva to help her direct this seven-scene production by Don Zollidis.
Helping out as the additional directors are Alva native Alica Hall, who holds bachelor’s degrees from 2005 and 2012 and a master’s degree in 2017; Michelle Penner of Cherokee, who holds a bachelor’s degree from 2015 and a master’s from 2017; Mickey Jordan from Iowa Park, Texas, who graduated in 2017 with his bachelor’s and currently is working on his master’s; and Erin Lehr, originally from Fresno, California, who graduated in 2011. She also recruited former student Patrick Wilson, originally from Aubrey, Texas, to be the production’s stage manager.
Weast said that each scene in “Anti-Social” is a comedy that deals with social media.
“They each deal with how we treat ourselves, treat each other, how we react and act around social media,” Weast said.
She also said that even though they are funny they each have a message at the end that will hopefully leave the audience thinking.
“Hopefully you’ll walk out and go ‘that was great, and oh man, maybe I need to think about this.’”
Weast said that auditions for this production were open to anybody on campus, and more than 30 students had auditioned on the first day of school.
“We had the opportunity, because there are seven plays, to involve a lot of kids, including a lot of new students; a lot of freshmen,” Weast said. “And, hopefully they enjoyed it and will come back again.”
The seven separate plays with their directors and cast and crew include the following:
Weast will direct two of the plays — “Parental Oversight” and “Followers.” The cast for “Parental Oversight” includes Shyanne Vaughn, Enid freshman, as Allia; Dr. Dena Walker, assistant professor of mathematics, as Magda; Lehr as mom; and Jordan as dad. The cast for “Followers” includes Madyson Doyle, Covington freshman, as Ashley; and Madison Wilson, Enid junior, as Bailey. Morgan Turley, Coldwater, Kansas, freshman, is the assistant stage manager. Crew members for both segments are Blake Miller, Aline freshman, audio board operator; and Audryanna Madison, Harper, Kansas, freshman, light board operator.
“The Price of YouTube Fame” is directed by Hall. Rianna Morris, Conway Springs, Kansas, freshman, is the assistant stage manager and mom; Precious Ramos, Waynoka freshman, is Toni; Erick Livingston, Gate freshman, is Drake; and Michael Day, Okeene sophomore, is Jamison. Hall also will direct “The Last Living MySpace User” with Peyton Lucas, Fairview sophomore, as Tom; Kaleigh Henke, Alva freshman, as Kathy; and Ethan Sacket, Aline sophomore, as Janitor.
“Trollz” is directed by Penner. Mary Ellis, Bernice sophomore, is Maggie; Sydney Endsley, Ringwood freshman, is Kerry; Rylee Johnson, Amarillo, Texas, freshman, is Bobo; and Zedan Borrie, Fallerton, California, senior, is Mondo. Damien Crawford, Oklahoma City freshman, is the audio board operator.
Jordan will direct “Viral/Rival.” Dakota Retherford, Cushing freshman, is Austin; Austin Morton, Balko freshman, is Brent; Katie McAdams, Canyon, Texas, freshman, is Amelia; and Logan Loomis, Baker freshman, is Boss. Heather Downing, Drummond freshman, is the assistant stage manager; and Nahshon Mayfield, Tulsa freshman, is the audio board operator.
“Pinterest is Totally Not Making You Ashamed of Your Life” is directed by Lehr. Michelle Willson, Conway Springs, Kansas, sophomore, is Heather; Tiffany Willson, Conway Springs, Kansas, junior, is Kyli; Nicholas Wygle, Noble senior, is McQuaid; and Hunter McEachern, Seiling freshman, is Robinson.
Ensemble members include Endsley, Morris, Day, Turley, Livingston, Mceachern, Downing, Retherford and MistyRaine Dickey, Danville, Kansas, freshman.
“I think people will enjoy the play if they want to come and laugh,” Weast said.
For more information contact Weast at (580) 327-8462 or kkweast@nwosu.edu.
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