‘Chamber Music’ Comedy Opens March 29-31 at USAO
 

CHICKASHA – What do Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony and Queen Isabella of Spain have in common? They’re all sharing the stage March 29-31 at the University of Science and Arts in the student production, “Chamber Music.”

The one act comedy runs at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday in the Davis Hall Little Theatre, with a 1 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are $2 at the door.

Student director Erika Maria Cerda of Norman said her experiences at USAO have paved the way for the production.

“A liberal arts education teaches you, above anything else, how to apply what you’ve learned,” she said. “And that’s what I am doing here. I believe in my education, and that’s how I know that this project will be a success.”

“Chamber Music” is a one-act play written by Arthur Lee Kopit in 1963.

“Written in the style of Absurdist Theatre,” said Cerda, “it uses defunct communication, physical humor and contrasting images in order to create a world without a visible meaning.”

The play centers around the sixth annual meeting of eight women who take on various famous historical figures. Although the women are not really who they claim to be, Amelia Earhart appears to be the real deal. As the play progresses, the women try to uncover the origin of the growing hostility they feel toward each other. All the while, the group attempts to care for Earhart.

Cerda, a political science and theatre senior, graduates in April. While at USAO, she has appeared in productions such as “The Man Who Came to Dinner” and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” She is a member of Alpha Psi Omega, Pi Gamma Mu, Pi Sigma Alpha and Hypatia.

To Cerda, people have made all the difference.

“I know that this is the best experience,” she said. “I have a hard working cast, I understand this material and I have an amazing mentor in [assistant professor of drama] Katie Simons.”

“Chamber Music” stars Tulsa early childhood education and psychology junior Laura Schultz as Constanze Mozart, political science and theatre senior Angela Jones of Frisco, Texas, as Osa Johnson, Marlow communication and drama senior Meagan Peters as Gertrude Stein and Kingfisher speech language pathology and vocal music junior Kati Wint as Pearl White.

Tulsa deaf education junior Brittany Schultz stars as Amelia Earhart, Lexington psychology junior Chelsea Huddleston stars as Queen Isabella of Spain, deaf education and drama senior Diana Steinhauser of Savannah, Ga., plays Joan of Arc and Broken Arrow deaf education senior Mandy Mason plays Susan B. Anthony.

Choctaw English senior Dustin Morris portrays the Man in White and Duncan drama and communication sophomore C.W. Bardsher plays his assistant. Bardsher also serves as prop master for the production.

Oklahoma City communication freshman Melissa Losada serves as assistant director to Cerda and a member of the running crew. John Morgan, theater facilities manager, provides technical direction. Ryan Bell, a communication junior from Moore, serves as costume master.

The running crew includes English sophomore Casey Wright of Oolagah and drama freshman Jared Williams of Oklahoma City.

The play is open to the public.

NEWS RELEASE       March 27, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA - CHICKASHA
CONTACT MICHAEL BENDURE, News Bureau, 405-574-1362, mbendure@usao.edu
RANDY TALLEY: Public Relations, 405-574-1337, rtalley@usao.edu
LAURA HARRISON: Public Relations, 405-574-1318, lharrison@usao.edu
FAX: 405-574-1377