Public Relations

Record turnout audition for NWACC production of King Lear

            BENTONVILLE (Friday, Jan. 25, 2008) – A record number of individuals auditioned for the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Drama Department’s spring production of King Lear.

            A total of 26 students, faculty, staff and members of the community arrived at White Auditorium to audition Jan. 14 for the production.

            Prior to this production, the highest turnout for auditions was 14 for an NWACC theatre event.

            The cast will include some familiar faces of faculty and staff, Curtis Harrell, Alex Joseph and Gerry Weatherford.

            Returning drama students cast in the show include Randall Ecke, Todd Kerley, Ellie Metts, Rachel Wunderle, Scott Minarik, Vanessa Minarik, Christy Seals, Sarah Lancaster, Autumn Harrell, and Jessica Vradenburg. 

            Newcomers to the NWACC stage include Tim Ellis, Caitlin Shelby, Jeffrey Wilson, Davy McNitt, Steve Limson, Monica Carter, Dawn Harris, Matthew Landis, and Kylia Rector.

            The production of King Lear is being directed by NWACC Communication and Drama Department faculty Marc Turner. 

            He directed this past fall the one act plays from NWACC's annual playwriting contest and volunteered numerous hours as music director for "A Child's Christmas in Wales".

            Many theatre scholars consider King Lear to be one of the most difficult of Shakespeare's plays to perform. 

            Turner has less than eight weeks before the show goes on.

            For the first time in the past 15 years, NWACC will have a core of students and community members focusing on scene, lighting, property, costume, and publicity design.  The designer's portfolios will be displayed in the theatre lobby on performance dates.

            Those dates are March 7, 8, 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinees March 9 and 16 at 2 p.m. 

            All performances will be in White Auditorium. 

            Tickets are $6 for NWACC students, faculty, staff, senior citizens, and $8 for the general public. 

            Three years ago, the NWACC Drama Department started a tradition of asking theatre patrons to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to area food banks.  In return, patrons will receive $1 off the ticket price.

            To reinforce the PK-12 initiative at NWACC, the cast and crew will be presenting a special daytime performance for area high schools on 9 a.m. Thursday, March 13.

            For more information about the play, contact Turner at 619-4126 or email mturner1@nwacc.edu.

For questions/comments on this content, contact Jim Hall