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Theater - 1984-1985

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The Physicists

October 3–6, 1984

A play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Translated by James Kirkup

Production Staff

Director: Dwight Watson
Scene and Light Designer: Brian Jones '82
Costume Designer: Laura Conners      
Stage Manager: Jim Kurtz '85
Student Assistants: Chris Luce, Jim Kurtz '85, Jon McGovern '87, Brian Stergar '86
 

Cast List

Fraülein Doktor Mathilde von Zahnd: Linda Ostermeier
Marta Boll: Linda Stover
Monika Stettler: Lynne Galassini
Uwe Sievers: Abbott A. Smith '85
McArthur: Michael Beason '86
Murill Timothy Oakes '86
Herbert Georg Beutler (“Newton”): Gordon Sheffield '86
Ernst Heirich Ernesti (”Einstein”): Greg Hockemeyer '85
Johann Wilhelm Möbius: Michael Abbott '85
Oskar Rose: Brad Rickel '87
Frau Lina Rose: Jennifer Ostermeier
Adolf-Friedrich: Rob Quirey '88
Wilfried-Kaspar: Jason Foos
Jörg-Lukas: Jeff Maharry
Richard Voss (Inspector): Darin Wallace '87
Police Doctor: Jeremy Cage '86
Guhl: John Hiester '86
Blocher: Tom Moone '85
Irene Straub: Amy Purcell
 

Production Assistance

Lightboard Operator: Greg Teague '88
Electrician: Tracy Swaim
Master Carpenter/Electrician: Chris Luce
Sound Operator: Brian Terpstra '85
Sound Technicians: Steve Bear, Brian Terpstra '85
Key Grip and Fly Crew Chief: Scott Elliott '87
Propsmaster: Larry Alcorn
Props Running Crew: Abbott Smith '85
Graphics: Laura Conners
 
In 1962 Swiss dramatist Fredrich Durrenmatt wrote The Physicists, strengthening an international reputation found on his earlier works, The Visit and Romulus the Great. The Physicists takes place in an insane asylum where three male patients, all nuclear physicists, live in anonymity because “…it is the only place where we are still allowed to think with impunity.”  One patient believes he is Sir Isaac Newton, another thinks he is Professor Albert Einstein, and the third has visions of King Solomon. Durrenmatt adheres to the Aristotelian unities of time, place, and action because, he says, “… the action takes place among madmen and therefore requires a classical framework.”  Durrenmatt probes beneath the surface of seeming comedy to ask pertinent and provocative questions about the scientist and today’s world.

This page is part of an ongoing project to document the history of the theatre productions performed at Wabash College. If you have information not included on this page, please contact the Theater Department.

Production Photo for The Physicists

The Runner Stumbles

November 14–17, 1984

A play by Milan Stitt

Production Staff

Director: James Fisher
Scenic and Light Designer: Brian Jones '82
Costume Designer: Laura Conners      
Stage Manager: Abbott Smith '85
Asst. Stage Manager/Props: David Schulz '88
Student Assistants: Chris Luce, Jim Kurtz '85, Jon McGovern '87, Brian Stergar '86
 

Cast List

Father Brian Rivard: Michael Abbott '85
Amos: Abbott Smith '85
Erna Prindle: Linda Stover
Toby Felker: Greg Hockemeyer '85
Sister Rita: Dana Warner Fisher
Mrs. Shandig: Sue Meek Ford
Prosecutor: Michael Shaw '87
Monsignor Nicholson: Adam Crowe '85
Louise: Jennifer Ostermeier
 

Production Assistance

Sound: Kyle Carr '85
Assistant Props Master: Matt Brown '88
Deck Electrician: Chris Luce
Graphics: Laura Conners
 
A strange set of circumstances caused the brilliant Father Rivard to be banished to the small town of Solon, Michigan in 1911, to administer a poor and sparsely settled rural parish. Here the ebullient and sensitive Sister Rita received an assignment and subsequently, through another twist of fate, moves into the parish house with the priest and his housekeeper. The interaction of their lives and especially the development of a deep relationship between the priest and the nun reaches a climax with the shocking murder of Sister Rita. The play, however, is not so much of a murder mystery as a meditation of the nature of God and the world and the way people perceive their relationship to both.

This page is part of an ongoing project to document the history of the theatre productions performed at Wabash College. If you have information not included on this page, please contact the Theater Department.

Production Photo for The Runner Stumbles

Baby Grand

February 20-23, 1985

A play by David Cohen

Production Staff

Director: Dwight Watson
Scene and Light Designer: Brian R. Jones '82
Costume Designer: Laura Conners
Asst. Director/Stage Manager: Abbott Smith '85

Cast List

Sam Zonderman: David Schulz '88
Nathan (“Pep”) Zonderman: Ken Ogorek '87
Delmadean McDonald Klein: Lynne Catherine Jones
Carl Fishman: Adam Crowe '85

Production Assistance

Propsmaster: Matt Brown '88
Sound Technicians: Tyce Light '87, David Woodward '87
Master Electrician: Rick Burgett '88
Lightboard Operator: Mike Shaw '87
Graphics: Laura Conners

This page is part of an ongoing project to document the history of the theatre productions performed at Wabash College. If you have information not included on this page, please contact the Theater Department.

Production Photo for Baby Grand

Twelfth Night

April 17–20 and May 10–11, 1985

A play by William Shakespeare
Music by George Gershwin

Production Staff

Directors: Michael Abbott '85, James Fisher
Scene and Light Designer: Brian R. Jones '82
Asst. Lighting Designer: Abbott Smith '85
Costume Designer: Laura Conners      
Stage Manager: David Schulz '88
 

Cast List

Orsino: Michael Shaw '87
Sebastian: John Wright
Antonio: Ralph Chacon '85
Sea Captain: Abbott Smith '85
Valentine: Chuck Grosvenor '87
Curio: Brian Farrar '85
Sir Toby Belch: Adam Crowe '85
Sir Andrew Aguecheek: Glen Leer '85
Malvolio: Brad Rickel '87
Fabian: Kyle Carr '85
Feste: Greg Hockemeyer '85
Olivia: Lee Ann Peabody Taggart
Viola: Lynne Jones
Maria: Linda Ostermeier
First Officer: Larry Alcorn
Second Officer: Alvin Schuh '88
Priest: Darrin Wallace '87
First Sailor: Mark Hayes '88
Second Sailor: Jon McGovern '87
 

Production Assistance

Master Electrician: Rick Burgett '88
Lightboard Operator: Mark Ratekin '88
Propsmaster: Dan Findley
Properties Assistant: David Woodward '87
Soundboard Operator: Tyce Light '87
Key Grip: Jim Kurtz '85
Graphics: Laura Conners


In Twelfth Night, or What You Will, Shakespeare completed a series of mature romantic comedies that include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, and As You Like It. Twelfth Night  is a play of great charm and subtlety in which presumptuousness and indulgence temporarily threaten the joyous triumph of love. The play (featuring such immortal character as Malvolio, Sir Toby Belch, Sire Andrew Aguecheek, and the lovers of Orsino, Viola, Sebastian, and Olivia) explores Shakespeare's observations on human strengths and limitations and his consciousness of man's constant vulnerability to his own capriciousness. “If music be the food of love, play on…”

This page is part of an ongoing project to document the history of the theatre productions performed at Wabash College. If you have information not included on this page, please contact the Theater Department.

Production Photo for Twelfth Night

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