The Cameron University Department of Art, Music, and Theatre Arts will begin its 2023-24 “Season of Chaos, Compassion and Care” with “Eternity,” a contemporary comedy about life, love and ice cream by Michael Cochran. The production will be presented in the University Theatre from Thursday, September 28, through Sunday, October 1. The curtain goes up on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $13 for adults and $10 for senior citizens, military, Cameron faculty and staff, and non-Cameron students. CU students receive one free admission with their CU I.D. Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office at 580-581-2346 or can be purchased online at https://www.cameron.edu/art-music-and-theatre/events/buy-tickets.
The production is recommended for mature audiences only and may contain content that some audience members may find objectionable. Children below age 5 are not permitted in the theatre.
“Eternity” was the winner of the American Association of Community Theatre’s NewPlayFest in 2018. The central character, Abe, is sick of sticking to a sensible diet. He decides to move a client appointment to later in the day in favor of getting an ice cream sandwich. The only problem is that Abe is an angel of death, and his “appointments” are to greet the newly deceased and take them to the next stop. Things quickly spiral out of control when Abe’s repeated attempts to “bump off” his delayed appointment fails, and the real threat of a new “unauthorized life” will occur unless Abe gets everything back on track. Meanwhile, Abe keeps collecting additional “clients” as he makes a desperate plan to set things right. Abe and a collection of the living and the dead all end up in a Las Vegas wedding chapel where a surprise visit from the boss helps Abe rediscover what the real meaning of life and death is all about.
Dakota Maggard Weeks plays Abe, and Maliah Davis portrays Abe’s long-suffering yet supportive partner Edith. Victor Quinones takes on the role of hapless but ambitious ice cream vendor Jeff, and Victoria Spruill plays Zoe, Jeff’s commitment-seeking girlfriend. Jared Long skates between worlds as Tony, who is determined to give Abe a run for his money, with Kyleigh Elvina skirting along as cocktail waitress Dinky and Charles Mvnte Jones in the role of Freddy, Dinky’s protective casino detective boyfriend. Alexzander Ernest takes a kingly role as Elvis, partnered, naturally, with Priscilla, played by Shayson Lenee’.
Jaiden Standridge serves as the stage manager, with support from Skylar Edwards as assistant stage manager. Francis Waweru is the lighting designer, and Carl Johns is the scenic designer. Lenee’ serves as properties designer and also handles public relations. Merlin Phillips will be operating the light board, and Rhiannon Pettigrew will run the soundboard. Alex Bliefernich and Sydney Dalby handle wardrobe duties. Tamia Johnson and Theo Cognet will be on the stage crew. Joceline Hernandez serves as house manager.
Guiding the students through the production are assistant professor Dr. Natalie McCabe as director, assistant professor Ben Williams as technical director and production manager, instructor Jean Tartiere as fight director, instructor Susie Williams as costume designer, and theatre facilities manager Joseph Roberts.
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Students mentioned above are listed by hometown:
Baytown, Texas: Joceline Hernandez
Cache: Sydney Dalby
Comanche: Shayson Lenee’
Duncan: Merlin Phillips, Victoria Spruill, Jaiden Standridge
El Paso, Texas: Jared Long
Graceville, FL: Tamia Johnson
Lawton/Fort Sill: Alex Bliefernich, Theo Cognet, Maliah Davis, Skylar Edwards, Kyleigh Elvina, Alexzander Ernest, Rhiannon Pettigrew, Victor Quinones, Dakota Maggard Weeks
Nairobi, Kenya: Francis Waweru
Sylacauga, Ala.: Carl Johns
Tulsa: Charles Mvnte Jones
PR#23-116
