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Thursday, April 8, 1997 - Page 6 NEWS that reason," says Nick Gough, the stage platforms and rusting mine shafts of the wom- manager. out town, while the costumes, designed by Gruber explains "Rimers is really inter- Denise Umland, are out-of-date and colorless esting because it's a different fermat from as well. Both of these aspects, as well as the anything we've done here. Nothing happens lack of props, add to the atmosphere of hope- in order, and it's a real mystery how every- lessness and death that permeates the lives of one is connected." the characters. Smith agrees that "one of the most inter- Gruber said, 'The set is really cool because esting things from the actors point of view it looks like it's not sturdy, but it really is. It's is that it's not in chronological order, and a real analogy to how the plot and characters they're on stage the whole time." of the play are, and the life of the town is." Mark Resch also comments that this will The cast is very enthusiastic about the play, be a challenge for the actors, but adds that and Elton Keith comments that "it's been a lot "it will challenge the audience as much as it of fun working with the cast and crew. challenges the actors." Everyone's put in a lot of work." Not only will the audience members ex- Assistant Stage Manager Jimmy Reddan perience a unique way of presentation, but agrees that "it's a great show with a very tal- they will be exposed to a visual representa- ented cast who bring their characters to life. tion of the town which is more symbolic than The actors are really great to work with." realistic. The Rimers of Eldritcli will be presented The skeletal set, designed by Ira Domser, in the Dorothy Elderdice Studio Theatre of In a scene from "Rimers of Eldritch " Driver ir. (played by Ryan Keou$h) attacks young Eva associated professor of theatre arts and tech- (played by Roxanne Ingram). nical director, consists of drab colored, bare Alumni Hall April 17, 18, 19 at 8:00 p.m., to peep on everyone in town. and April 20 at 2:00 p.m. BY ROXANNE INGRAM Cultural Arts Beat Reporter The courtroom and congregation scenes "Fast cars, fast women, and ... sheep?" led by the Judge/Preacher (played by Grant Alum comes back to direct These are the few things which interest the Rice) also give a lot of insight into the con- residents of Eldritch, the small mid-west- nections between the characters because they student play at WMC ern town where The Rimers of Eldritch involve a great deal of exposition. takes place, according to Erika These relationships are explored further In most small towns, everyone knows ev- Smith said she has always wanted 10 come Roskowinski. during the course of the playas the audi- eryone and just about everything. And what the back to her alma mater and direct a production. The play centers around the ins and outs ence learns more about the family lives of neighbors don't know they are constantly try- She first saw Rimers of Eldritcli as a graduate of a small town in Bible Belt America, Nelly and Mary Windrod (played by Erika ing to find out student in College Park and fell' it would be a where everyone knows everyone else's Roskowinski and Sara Gruber), of Mavis, The make-believe town in The Rimers of good challenge for the student actors at WMC. business, and the story surrounding the Peck, Patsy, and Josh Johnson (played by Eldriich; the upcoming spring theatre produc- "ltwiil presentthem withsome unique situ- shooting of Skelly Ma~nor (played by Dan Ginger Parke, Jim Gross, Elton Keith, and tion at 'YlMC, is no different. And the gossip ations they might not experience in other pro- Franko), the town outcast. Colin Fonnan), and of Martha and Lena Truit machine is really cranked up when arcsident is ductions," she said, noting that the staging keeps The audience is introduced to Eldritch (played by Kim and Faye Ingram). puton trial for the murder of another townie. All all of the actors in front of the audience at all and the people who live there by the town As alumni Tracy Ann Smith, the director of the dirty, little secrets will ooze out, said di- times. gossips, Wilma Atkins (played by Jenny of The Rimers of Eldritch, comments, "It's recror'Irecey Ann TokarSmith, Class of '88, of Theyare not necessarily always in the spot- Hess) and Louise Peabody (played by Kim an ensemble play about secrets, about Baltimore. light. but they will be there, she said. Bloch). crimes, real and imagined." Performances of drama by Lanford Wilson Smith,ati1eatremajorruWMC,aisoearned These two biddies reveal the connec- Kelly Dunnavant concurs with this sen- are scheduled forApril17-19 at 8p.m., and April amaster's degreem direcringfrom the Univer- tions between the other members of the timent, noting the equal importance of ev- 20 at 2 p.m. All shows are at the Dorothy sity of Maryland. She is manager of publica- town, gabbing about the affair between ery character, even those without names, and Elderdice Theatre in Alumni Hall. tions for Integrated Health Services, Inc. and Walter (played by Mark Resch), the young adding that he feels that his character, "the 'This is a strong ensemble piece about does work in community theater in Baltimore. man from out of town, and Cora Groves trucker, rocks!" Eldritch, a coal mining town," Smith said. Sbe recently directed "Arsenic and Old (played by Melissa Farrell), the unnatural Another unique aspect of the show is that ''When the industry died, everyone who could Lace" at The Vagabond Theatre and friendship of Robert Conklin (played by "it's a very different show from what you leave did leave. Those who are left are just ex- "Shadcwlards" at Dundalk Community The- Ryan Keough) and the fourteen year old might expect: no traditional start and fin- isting, shells waiting. to die in their hometown." ater. WhiJeatWMC, she appeared in ''My Sis- crippled girl, Eva Jackson (played by ish, no traditional stage right and left. It's The show was originally set in the 1960's, ter In This House," "Dames at Sea," Roxanne Ingram), and Skelly's inclination different, and J think people will like it for 00t Smith has moved it back (0 the 1940's. "Antigone," and "Crimes oflhe Heart." New program: On Campus Talking About Alcohol Horneff, associate dean of first-year stu- gram. Finding faculty and staff members comes, will it be effective? Bosley hopes dents, about incorporating the program in interested in becoming trained OCTAA in- that it will. The program has been closely At 1997's first year student orientation, the first-year student orientation program. structors is Bosley's task. followed by PRI with statistics available to a new subject will be added to the list of "We're a bit overwhelmed with how it's Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Philip Sayre prove OCTAA's effectiveness, according to WMC colloquium topics: alcohol. going to happen," says Bosley. At orienta- has been interested in OCTAA since he was Bosley. "First-year students seem to be where tion, the students will attend two two-hour first introduced to the program. "It seemed Yet Dean Sayre is not as optimistic. "We the bulk of alcohol offenses lie," says sessions to learn about OCTAA's principles. to offer a promise of solid information with- have to be realistic," he says. "I don't be- Bonnie Bosley, medical services coordina- These sessions will include lectures, large out preaching to people in an adult approach lieve we will finally have a significant drop tor. Bosley is in charge of alcohol educa- and small discussion groups, and slide pre- which is good for college students," he says. in drinking." Sayre hopes that OCTAA's tion at WMC and hopes to target these high- sentations. Then Bosley plans to visit each Sayre will be one of the 35 trained to teach impact on campus wiH include a common risk students with a new program, On Cam- first-year seminar class to take all of the pro- OCTAA. vocabulary about alcohol and a knowledge pus Talking About Alcohol (OCTAA). cessed information and connect it to the stu- Student orientators and resident assis- of the effects and risks involved in drink- Bosley explained OCTAA's program de- dents' experiences. tants will go through a six-hour version of mg. tails and goals at a press conference Tues- Acknowledgment of the drinking prob- OCTAA training. Kendra Jones, a junior Sophomore psychology major Erin day March II in a journalism class. lem at WMC is an essential component of chemistry major and student orientator, has Farver agrees. "I think it's good to teach The program is based on the Lifestyle OCTAA's success. "I think there are statis- learned about OCTAA and uie role she will [first-year students] about alcohol because Risk Reduction Model of Prevention, ac- tics to show there is an alcohol problem on play in implementing the program. "I think it will have an effect on them. Even though cording to Bosley. OCTAA helps to iden- every college campus and WMC is no dif- it's a good thing," she says. "[Alcohol] is you know they are going to drink anyway, tify the risk factors which contribute to al- ferent," says Bosley. something we encounter a lot with fresh- at least they'll drink more responsibly and cohol problems and dispel myths about OCTAA presents abstinence as only one men and this shows the effects of drinking understand the long-term consequences," what defines an alcoholic. It also shows option. "If you chose to drink, then here's in a non-preachy way." According to Jones, she says. people "how to make choices in a low-risk some information you need to look at," says the student orteruarors will be able to evalu- Drinking's long-term consequences are program," says Bosley. Bosley of one of the program's goals. ate the program before it is presented to the addressed in OCTAA's program. WMC is Bosley took over the responsibility of Bosley hopes this goal will be achieved first-year students. the first college in Maryland to adopt the educating students about alcohol last sum- through an $J 8,000 grant from PRI. The "I'm hoping the SO's buy into it and en- program and last year eight different col- mer. She learned of OCTAA through the grant stipulates that if WMC commits to courage the students to just give it a leges used OCTAA. Among them was Prevention Research Institute (PRI) in Lex- teach first-year students the OCTAA pro- chance," says Bosley who adds, "We're try- Hamden Sydney College in Virginia. Bosley ington, KY. After taking part in a training gram for the next four years, PRJ will train ing to make this as painless as possible." spoke with officials at the school who de- session, Bosley spoke with Barbara up to 35 individuals on how to teach the pro- No matter how painless (he process be- scribed the program as a success.