01/10/12

Story by Anne Christiansen-Bullers, 913-469-8500, ext. 4184

'Anatomy of Gray' - Regional Competition

JCCC theater presentation chosen for regional competition
Preparation allows public to see show for free Jan. 13

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Students from Johnson County Community College’s music and theater departments have once again been chosen to compete in the Region 5 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Ames, Iowa. As part of their preparation, they will perform “Anatomy of Gray” again locally, and the public is invited to attend.

The show will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, in Yardley Hall in the Carlsen Center.

Admission is free, but audience members are invited to donate at the door. Any funds raised will be used to defray the costs of staging the show at the prestigious theater festival.

“Anatomy of Gray,” written by James Leonard, Jr., was first produced at JCCC in November. Beate Pettigrew, assistant professor, theater, directed the play.

The Jan. 13 reprise will allow the company of about 30 students, faculty and staff to prepare the show for competition. Seating is first-come, first-served.

“Anatomy of Gray” is set in Indiana during the late 1800s.  The story examines death, loss, love and healing as June prays for a healer to come to the small town of Gray so no one will ever suffer again. The next thing she knows, there's a tornado, and a man in a balloon blows into town claiming to be a doctor…

After the performance, the company will strike the set and load the trucks to get ready for the trip to Iowa. They then will rebuild the set on the stage of C.Y. Stephens Auditorium in Ames beginning at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 19.  After setting lights and rehearsing technical cues, they’ll perform the play that evening for an audience of 1,200 college and university theatre students and faculty. As soon as the performance is over, they will strike the set and again load it, along with all the costumes and equipment, back on the truck.

This marks the second year in a row for the college’s invitation to the regional competition. Last year’s performance was “Godspell.”

“We’re thrilled but proud to again represent our fantastic community college,” Pettigrew said.

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