The University of South Carolina Aiken’s University (USCA) Theatre Players are set to kick off the new semester with two one-act comedies by playwright James McLure, “Laundry & Bourbon” and “Lone Star.”
The performances, directed by theatre majors Cade Melnyk and Jaden Napier as part of their Capstone Projects, will take place in the O’Connell Theatre at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 2.
Thanks to underwriting from the Provost, USCA students can attend the performances for free by presenting a valid student ID at the Etherredge Center Box Office, according to a press release from USCA.
General admission tickets are available for $10, while non-USCA student tickets are priced at $7.
Originally written in 1979, McLure’s companion comedies have remained a staple of theatre productions for over four decades, according to a press release from USCA.
“Laundry & Bourbon” unfolds on the front porch of Elizabeth and Roy’s home, where Elizabeth and her two friends, Hattie and Amy Lee, engage in small-town gossip and discuss the challenges Elizabeth and Roy have faced since his return from Vietnam.
“Lone Star” takes place behind a local bar, where Roy, his brother Ray, and their friend Cletis drink and reminisce about Roy’s greatest passions—his military service, his wife, and his 1959 pink Ford Thunderbird.
The cast of “Laundry & Bourbon” includes Kennedy Pollard as Elizabeth, Keviana Marshall as Hattie, and Emily Enos as Amy Lee.
The production team will feature Ella Rich as Production Stage Manager, Beth Smith as Lighting Designer, Wren Hamrick as Costume Designer, Jeasmine Blyther as Sound Designer and Yassiar Brown as Props Designer.
“Lone Star” will feature Daniel Mims as Roy, Tobias Knight as Ray, and Glenn Roberts as Cletis, with Ashleigh Ponder as Production Stage Manager and Daniel Mason as Assistant Stage Manager.
Additional production roles will include Joshua Chambers as Lighting Designer, Collette Miller as Costume Designer, and Blyther and Brown as Sound and Props Designers. Both productions are under the scenic design of USCA Theatre Professor Ashley Jensen.
Seating for the performances is limited, and patrons are encouraged to secure tickets in advance by calling the Box Office at 803-641-3305 or visiting etherredgecenter.universitytickets.com. For further inquiries, contact Paul Crook at PaulC@usca.edu.
