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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2008
Contact: K.E. Schwab
724.738.2199
karl.schwab@sru.edu
SRU cast, crew ready to take new play to Scotland’s Fringe Festival
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – It’s been rewrites, rehearsal, revisions and practice as 14 cast members of the “The Margins,” an original play by David Skeele, Slippery Rock University theatre professor, prepare to take the one-act play to the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Cast, crew and SRU theatre faculty depart at the end of July to present the 60-minute, supernatural honor play in seven performances. The Scotland visit is the second for SRU theatre students who were also invited to join the festival in 2006.
“The students are truly excited about presenting an original play at the festival,” said Laura Smiley, SRU assistant professor of theatre who is directing. SRU’s entire theatre department faculty are going along. While in Scotland, the SRU contingent will see other festival entries, Smiley said.
“We plan to see a variety of shows from around the world that have been selected as part of the festival. We have tickets to a love story from Korea, a traditional story from Nigeria, a physical theatre production, puppetry and a multi-media production. This will be a chance to see areas of theatre our students have not been exposed to locally,” Smiley said.
The director also noted that while Skeele’s original play was compelling, the addition time before actual production in Scotland has allowed time to rethink some areas, revise others and overall beef up the story for final production.
“We reviewed the original script in a workshop last spring; we allowed it to rest, with everyone thinking about it; and we incorporated audience feedback from our on-campus productions. We had an hour-long conference call with David [Skeele] this week, and by Friday we will have the final script as we begin finishing-touch rehearsals,” Smiley said.
“The Margins,” which will be performed in Edinburgh’s Old Saint Paul’s Church Hall, is set in the present at an up-state New York mansion. It tells of a group of psychics gathered for an experiment that goes awry, Skeele has explained. He says his play has a hook and seems to be just what the festival was seeking. Applications to participate are accepted months in advance. As part of the festival, more than 400 theatre companies perform throughout the Edinburgh area before an audience estimated at 1.3 million.
A list of participants is attached.
Slippery Rock University is Pennsylvania’s premier public residential university. Slippery Rock University provides students with a comprehensive learning experience that intentionally combines academic instruction with enhanced educational and learning opportunities that make a positive difference in their lives.
PN, WPN, PGN, RL
SRU Theatre - International Experience in Edinburg, Scotland
Students:
Andrew G. Allison, Georgetown, PA Public Relations
Erin Berger, Beaver, PA Phyllida Franks
Andrea Carlin, Montrose, PA Helen Armitage
Christine Carmichael, Erie, PA Sound Designer
Nicholas Adam Ciesielski, Bridgeville, PA Trace Armitage
Jackie Freeman, Geneva, OH Dana Sanders
Nick Gligor, Sharon, PA Markus Olin
Casey Hughes, Roseland, NJ Lighting Designer
Joel Magill, New Castle, PA Stage Manager
Kelly McBane, Pittsburgh, PA Makeup Designer
Matthew McNear, Beaver, PA Jonathan Turino
Kelly Myers, Natrona Heights, PA Assistant Stage Manager
Zach Nading, East Brady, PA Lane Strelczyk
Aaron Thurston, Homer City, PA Technical Director/Properties Master
Theatre faculty:
David Skeele, playwright
Laura Smiley, director
Gordon Phetteplace, set designer
Rebecca Morrice, costume designer
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