By Keith Martin
The Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance will produce the award-winning drama for young adults, “Selkie: Between Land and Sea,” Sept. 28–Oct. 2 at the Valborg Theatre on the university campus. The show was written by Laurie Brooks and is produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing of Woodstock, Illinois.
Performances are scheduled at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Ticket prices start at just $10 for Appalachian students and $17 for adults. For more information, call the box office at 828-262-4046 and 800-841-ARTS (2787), or visit www.theatreanddance.appstate.edu.
Filled with lyrical language, music and mysticism, “Selkie: Between Land and Sea” is a coming-of-age story that will fascinate theatregoers of all ages. A young girl struggles to find a sense of belonging and identity as the secrets of her family are revealed. The action of the play takes us beyond the land and into the tides where protagonist Elin Jean finds that "there is more beneath the sea than you or I can imagine."
Written by award-winning playwright and young adult fiction author Laurie Brooks, the production is directed by theatre professor Teresa Lee, who continues the department’s tradition of offering young adult plays in alternating years.
“This timeless myth is full of compelling imagery,” stated Lee in her director’s note. “We are looking forward to creating a world that brings together elements of mysticism with the rich elements of the place itself, Orkney Isle in northern Scotland. It is exciting to be able to work on this unique, award-winning play that offers themes relative to audiences of all ages inside a captivating story. I believe ‘Selkie’ audiences will be transported by the visual, sound, music and dance elements of storytelling in a way only live theatre can do.”
All design aspects of the performance are by Theatre and Dance Department faculty. The scenic design is by Mike Helms, costume and makeup design is by Sue Williams and lighting and sound design is by John Marty. Kevin Warner is the choreographer, Derek Gagnier is the vocal/dialect coach and Dr. Derek Davidson is arranging and performing supplemental music. The stage manager is sophomore theatre arts major Rachel Scherer.
The cast of seven actors is led by senior theatre performance major Dylan Brown of Davidson, North Carolina in the role of Grandpa, and first year students Sophie Weiner and Devon Bucey will play the parts of Elin Jean and Tam, respectively. Both freshmen are from Charlotte. Joining them in the ensemble are senior Justin McGovney, juniors Savannah Bennett and Julia Ridenhour and freshman Madeline Ferguson.
Playwright Brooks’ numerous awards include Theatre Communications Group’s National Theatre Artist Residency Program with the Coterie Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, AT&T Firststage Award, three Distinguished Play Awards and the Charlotte B. Chorpenning Cup from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE). She has received grants from New York Foundation for the Arts, Children's Foundation of America and Irish Arts Council (with Graffiti Theatre in Cork, Ireland). Brooks' “Lies and Deceptions Quartet” of plays for young adults includes “The Wrestling Season” commissioned by the Coterie Theatre and featured at the Kennedy Center’s One Theatre World, printed in “American Theatre” (November 2000) and winner of “Best of” awards in Kansas City, Seattle and Dallas. She served as assistant professor and playwright in residence at New York University for 10 years, where she also served as literary manager for the historic Provincetown Playhouse, and was playwright-in-residence for the Houston Young Professionals Endeavor Institute at the Alley Theatre in Houston. Alfred A. Knopf published Brooks’ book for young adults, “Selkie Girl,” in 2008.
Please note that the 2016-17 season marks a new production schedule with 7 p.m. curtain times for evening shows in the Department of Theatre and Dance. This earlier format will align more closely with other campus activities while providing a more family-friendly start time on school nights. Matinee performances will remain at 2 p.m.
To purchase tickets, contact the Valborg Theatre box office at 828-262-3063, the Schaefer Center box office toll-free at 800-841-ARTS (2787), or visit the department website at http://theatreanddance.appstate.edu.
About Valborg Theatre
The Valborg Theatre is located on campus at the north side of Chapell Wilson Hall on Howard Street in Boone. The theatre entrance faces the back of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on King Street. Parking is available after 5 p.m. on campus in faculty/staff lots and after 5:30 p.m. in the College Street parking deck near Belk Library and Information Commons.
Theatre and Dance at Appalachian State University
The Department of Theatre and Dance is housed in Appalachian’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. Its mission is to facilitate transformative experiences for students and the public, which cultivate compassionate, creative and collaborative communities through theatre and dance. The department also values the opportunity to offer coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Vital to the support of this mission is a dynamic co-curricular production program that provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community and the region. The departmental philosophy is to support the university’s liberal arts environment through a balanced and integrated emphasis on teaching, creative activity, scholarship and service.
Media Contact:
Keith Martin
828-262-8179
MartinKT1@appstate.edu
Three students during a performance of "Selkie: Between Land and Sea"
“Selkie: Between Land and Sea” is a coming-of-age story involving a young girl, Sophie Weiner, left, who struggles to find a sense of belonging and identity. First year student Devon Bucey, center, plays Tam, and senior Dylan Brown, right, portrays her grandfather. Photo by Lynn Willis.