Cast Lists Announced for Virtual Fall Plays at Bluffton University

BLUFFTON, Ohio—Bluffton University theatre will present five short plays for their fall performance collectively titled “Alone, Together,” during three virtual viewing opportunities, Oct. 29-Nov. 1.

The plays will explore the challenges and surprises of social distancing during the pandemic with charm, humor, tenderness and loss.

The plays include “Looking Back,” “All the Cranes in the World,” and “Neither Here Nor There” by Arlene Hutton; “Rosebud” by Dan Castellaneta and Deb Lacusta; and “Pandemic Therapy” by Jami Brandli. Performed and recorded by student actors in separate locations, these plays explore our current realities of feeling along, together.

Performances will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov.1.

Ticket prices are $5 plus streaming fees for general admission (single device); $15 plus streaming fees for group viewing (single device); and free for Bluffton University students, faculty and staff.

Tickets are available at: http://www.bluffton.edu/fallplay

Play descriptions, roles and participating students are as follows:

“Looking Back” by Arlene Hutton

What if you were the very last person at Disney World before it closed due to COVID-19 – and your best friend wasn’t there to share the experience with you?

Shannon – Abby Bush ’24, Marion, Ohio

Keith – Hunter McCafferty ’23, Bremen, Ohio

Director – Dr. Melissa Friesen, Mary Nord and Joseph Ignat endowed chair in theatre

Stage manager – Payton Stephens ’23, Lebanon, Ohio

Assistant stage manager – Cierra Long ’23, Urbana, Ohio

“All the Cranes in the World” by Arlene Hutton

Meredith entertains her 5-year-old niece Vivi over Zoom, as they await news about Vivi’s mom from the hospital.

Meredith – Payton Stephens

Director – Melissa Friesen

Stage manager – Cierra Long

Assistant stage manager – Taylor Waldeck ’23, Springfield, Ohio

“Rosebud” by Dan Castellaneta and Deb Lacusta

A film buff’s obsession with “Citizen Kane” might just send his girlfriend over the edge – and off Zoom.

George – AJ Kenney ’23, Marengo, Ohio

Rene – Ally Heldman ’23, Findlay, Ohio

Director – Melissa Friesen

Stage manager – Taylor Waldeck

Assistant stage manager – Claire Myree ’21, West Chester, Ohio

“Neither Here Nor There” by Arlene Hutton

College roommates separated over Spring Break by the pandemic reconnect online and discover there’s always more to learn about one another.

Katie – Kelly Bilen ’24, Archbold, Ohio

Alexandra – Luisa Rivera ’23, Yoro, Honduras

Director – Adam Shanaman ’22, Bellevue, Ohio

Stage manager – Taylor Waldeck

Assistant stage manager – AJ Kenney ’23, Marengo, Ohio

“Pandemic Therapy” by Jami Brandli

Married couple Kim and Stephen are coping with lockdown in very different ways – can Stephen and their therapist Lori coax Kim out of her home office?

Kim – Claire Myree ’21, West Chester, Ohio

Stephen – Adam Shanaman

Lori – Nicole Centofanti ’21, Delaware, Ohio

Director – Melissa Friesen

Stage manager – Taylor Waldeck

Assistant stage manager – Payton Stephens ’23