By Gerard Flanagan, news writer/photographer/social media, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Desperate students seek to find their teacher after she goes missing.
Meanwhile, a young woman tackles stereotypes in pursuit of her dreams.
Campbellsville University’s Department of Theatre and Dance, along with Town Hall Productions and Heritage Children Services, presents “Miss Nelson is Missing” and two productions of “Legally Blonde.”
Both productions, which feature elementary, middle and high school students from Taylor, Marion, Green and LaRue counties, will be performed at the university’s Russ Mobley Theater, 114 University Drive, Campbellsville, Ky.
“Miss Nelson is Missing” takes the stage at 7 p.m., Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4.
The play’s synopsis says, “Miss Nelson’s class is the worst behaved in the whole school. Spitballs flying across the room, paper airplanes sailing every which way and uncontrollable children send gentle, long-suffering Miss Nelson over the edge.”
The students of Room 207, however, receive an unpleasant surprise when Miss Nelson goes missing. Her replacement, Viola Swamp, is a no-nonsense substitute teacher who assigns piles of homework.
“The students learn lessons of appreciation and respect as they set out to find their beloved Miss Nelson … but will they ever get her back?” the synopsis said.
The play is based on the book of the same title and “Miss Nelson is Back” by Harry Allard.
Jaye Ward of Campbellsville stars as Miss Nelson and Viola Swamp.
Other cast members, listed by their hometowns, are as follows:
Campbellsville – Jackson Williams as Mr. Blansworth; Sadie Hesson as Pop Hanson; Joanna Coots as Penny Whistler; Isla Snyder as Jilly Bones; Nicholas Santos as Murry Snapsberg “Snappy”; Penelope Benningfield as Bud;
Will Davis and Owsley Richardson as detectives; Sunny Ward as student no. 1; Ella Gupton as student no. 2; Keightley Pickett at student no. 3; Addison Smith as student no. 4; Keely Crenshaw as student no. 5; Eden Arendt as student no. 6;
Paris Washington-Hall as student no. 8; Kathryn Ashley as student no. 9; Mae Miller as student no. 10; Hensley Grubesic as student no. 12; Charlotte Coots in the student ensemble; Eleanor Benningfield in the student ensemble; Vesper Angel in the student ensemble;
Lucia Olivier in the student ensemble; Rosalyn Shively in the student ensemble; Fairington Pickett in the student ensemble; Katie Parrish in the student ensemble; P.J. Van Mersbergen in the student ensemble; Annabelle Williams in the student ensemble;
Chyanne Van Mersbergen in the student ensemble;
Elk Horn – Tyler Britton as student no. 7; Cole Britton in the student ensemble;
Lebanon – Anna Poff as student no. 11;
Greensburg – Laynie Judd in the student ensemble;
Hodgenville – Ava Cheeseman in the student ensemble.
Youth technical crew members are August Garrett, Everest Garrett and Haley Curtsinger, all of Campbellsville; and Tranquility Frankowicz and Anaia Frankowicz, both of Mannsville.
Production crew is as follows:
Andrew Ward, owner of Town Hall Productions, is the producer. Alia McClendon, community theater community, is the play’s co-director and music director. Trisha Hall, teacher for Green County Schools, is co-director and choreographer.
The play’s technical director is Starr Garrett, theatre director and professor of theatre. Lauren Phillips, who graduated from Campbellsville University last month with a Bachelor of Science in Theater, is stage manager for the play.
Matt Nall, technical director, will oversee scenic and lighting design. Emma Kait Grider, junior from Columbia, Ky., is serving as a summer intern for the play.
Tickets can be purchased at the following link: https://townhallpro2013.ticketleap.com/missnelson/
General admission tickets are $7 each. Tickets for seniors 65 and older, children 12 and under and Campbellsville University employees and students are all $5 each. Online ticket sales end at noon the day of the presentation. From that point, tickets can be reserved at (270) 789-5266 or purchased at the door while supplies last.
Corporate sponsors are Tucker Family Medicine, Community Trust Bank, Crossroads Animal Clinic, Squires and Lee CPA, Nathan Williams – Attorney at Law, BCCN and Little Caesars Pizza.
Legally Blonde Jr. Productions
At 7 p.m., Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11, the junior production “Legally Blonde Jr.” takes the stage. At 7 p.m., Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18, the senior production “Legally Blonde Jr.” will be performed.
The junior production will feature area students ages 11-14, while the senior production will feature students ages 14-18.
“Legally Blonde Jr.” follows “the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams,” according to a synopsis of the play.
When Elle’s boyfriend, Warner, dumps her and heads to Harvard, claiming she’s not “serious” enough, Elle takes matters into her own hands, crafting a showy song-and-dance personal essay and charming her way into law school.
“Befriending classmate, Emmett, and spunky hairdresser, Paulette, along the way, Elle finds that books and looks aren’t mutually exclusive,” the synopsis said. “As Elle begins outsmarting her peers, she realizes that law may be her natural calling after all.”
The play is based on the novel “Legally Blonde” by Amanda Brown.
June Ann Hill of Lebanon plays the lead role of Elle Woods.
Additional cast members for the junior production, listed by their hometowns, are as follows:
Campbellsville – Bella Benningfield as Margot; Emmah Myers as Serena; Nora Harris as Pilar; Tye Rhodes as Warner Huntington III; Jackson Hays as Emmet Forrest; Sophia Santos as Vivienne Kensington; Titus Graham as Professor Callahan; Lily Coots as Paulette;
Maryn Ward as Brooke Wyndham; Jonah Buechel as Kyle; Maggie Daniels as Chutney Wyndham; Jayden Cox as Dewey; Athena Angel as Winthrop (Harvard Admissions Officer);
Jaylynn Van Mersbergen as Lowell (Harvard Admissions Officer); Selah Engle as Pfrozheimer (Harvard Admissions Officer); Justice Hesson as Aaron Schultz (law student); Kiera Bailey as Sunny Padwan (law student); and Alex Crume as Enid Hoppes (law student);
Natalia Acosta as Kiki; Chloe McFarland as Grandmaster Chad; Lucy Reynolds as Judge; Jayden Cox as jet blue pilot; Maggie Daniels as a saleswoman; Jaylynn Van Mersbergen as a prison guard; Karly Hayes as a cashier; Katie Munford as a stylist; and Lyric Stanfield as Sabrina;
Lebanon – Emma Blandford as Kate and a bookish client;
Mannsville – Anaia Frankowicz as Whitney.
Playing the role of inmates are Hayes, Munford, Acosta, Blandford and Stanfield. Playing the roles of Delta Nu/Salon workers are Hayes, Munford, Acosta, Blandford, Stanfield and McFarland. Engle, Van Mersbergen, Angel, Cox, Hesson, Bailey, Daniella Barrios and Riley Robison, both of Campbellsville, play the roles of Harvard partygoers.
Members of the dance ensemble are Hayes, Munford, Acosta, Blandford and Stanfield.
For the senior production, Zoey Blair of Lebanon plays the lead role of Elle Woods.
The rest of the senior production cast, listed by their hometowns, is as follows:
Campbellsville – Elli Wilson as Margot; Kaylea Neely as Serena; Abigail Blakeman as Pilar; Carynne Ritter as Kate; Cody Ballard as Warner Huntington III; Luke Hesson as Emmett Forrest; Tristan Parish as Whitney; John Phillips as Professor Callahan;
Kaylee Lawrence as Paulette; Rayna Taylor as Brooke Wyndham; Kasey Westerman as Chutney Wyndham and saleswoman; Zoe Boatright as Winthrop (Harvard Admissions Officer), store manager and prison guard; Kaleigh Necessary as Pfrozheimer (Harvard Admissions Officer) and Kiki;
Kellis Lawrence as Sunny Padwan (law student) and jet blue pilot; Gracie Montgomery as Sabrina and Grandmaster Chad; Tristan Parish as Judge; Alex Curry as cashier; LeAnna Darst as a stylist; Cheyenne Keith as Gaelen
Lebanon – Emma Hardin as Edin Hoopes (law student)
Hodgenville – Nicholas Hardin as Dewey, Kyle and Lowell (Harvard Admissions Officer);
Greensburg – Rachel Henderson as Vivienne Kensington; Maddie Crowder as Aaron Schultz (law student) and bookish client.
Keith, Montgomery, Darst and Curry play the roles of inmates and salon workers. Taylor, Keith, Montgomery, Darst, Necessary and Curry will play the roles of Delta Nu.
Crowder, Boatright, Blair, Parish, Nicholas Hardin, Kellis Lawrence and Henderson have the roles of Harvard partygoers.
Youth technical crew members are August Garrett, Everest Garrett and Haley Curtsinger, Tranquility Frankowicz, Anaia Frankowicz, and Matthew Holley of Campbellsville.
Ward is the play’s producer. McClendon is director; Jessica Floyd, teacher at Campbellsville Independent Schools, will serve as music director. Kristin Dowdy, instructor of theatre dance, is choreographer for the play. Phillips is the play’s stage manager. Nall will oversee scenic and lighting design. Grider is a summer intern for the play.
Go to the following link to purchase tickets: https://townhallpro2013.ticketleap.com/legallyblondejr/
General admission tickets are $7 each. Tickets for seniors 65 and older, children 12 and under and Campbellsville University employees and students are all $5 each. Online tickets sales end at noon the day of the presentation. From that point, tickets can be reserved at (270) 789-5266 or purchased at the door while supplies last.
The following businesses are corporate sponsors for the play: Brothers, Community Trust Bank, LonghunterCoffee & Tea, Heart and Soul Counseling, Mitchell’s and Mr. Gatti’s Pizza.
For more information on these productions, visit townhallpro.com/theater-film
or call (270) 789-5266.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university that has enrolled up to 12,000 students yearly. The university offers over 100 programs of study including doctoral, masters, bachelors, associate and certification programs. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.