Volume 31, No.12
November 12, 1999
Contact: Terry Day (570) 662-4844
tday@mnsfld.edu
Mansfield University Theatre will present The Monogamist,
a comedy for adults, as its second offering of the 1999-2000 season. Written by
Christopher Kyle, the play deals with a couple going through a mid-life crisis and
beginning to understand their relationship in the process.
Set in 1991, The Monogamist centers on the story of
Dennis, a middle-aged poet who has just written a book of poetry about the relevance of
monogamy in contemporary life. Dennis is sure that his "liberal yet
conservative" way of seeing the world is the right way.
Discovering his wife’s infidelity shakes, and ultimately,
shatters his perceptions. His relationship with a confused co-ed named Sky forces him to
re-evaluate his work, his belief system and his entire life. Variety calls The
Monogamist "Trenchant, dark and jagged…the best comedy of the
year…newcomer Christopher Kyle is a playwright whose social satire comes with a
nasty, ripping edge-Moliere by way of Joe Orton."
Adding to the impact of the play’s message is the setting in
the theatre. "We will have the audience seated on the stage, very close to the
actors," said director Andrew Longoria. "The situations are very much adult
situations, dealing with sexual relations and issues of recreational drug use. With the
audience in such close proximity to the actors, I think it is very important for people to
know this going in." Longoria added "it’s a play that hits you on the head
and doesn’t hold anything back. The issues are very timely and pertinent to our
audience. And it is very funny and rather poignant."
The cast includes: Jonmichael Brennan, theatre and broadcasting,
as Dennis; Katie Mason, theatre, as his wife Susan; Marissa Mickelberg, English education,
as Sky. Sarah Sperling, theatre, and Timothy Mulroy, marketing, round out the cast.
The Monogamist will be performed in Straughn Hall
Thursday, November 18 through Saturday, November 20 at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, November 21
at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and $2 for students with a
Mansfield ID. Seating is limited. You can reserve or purchase tickets in advance by
calling the MU Theatre Box Office at 4781.
A Visitor From The North
Stuart McLean, Canada’s answer to Garrison Keilor, will
travel south for a rare American appearance at MU’s Steadman Theatre on Thursday,
November 18 at 8:30 p.m.
McLean hosts The Vinyl Café, one of the most popular
programs on CBC Radio, and is author of the best-selling books Home From The Vinyl
Café and Stories From the Vinyl Café. The master storyteller spins tales of
small town life and every day events, such as his mother dealing with the purchase of his
first jockstrap and taking a guinea pig to the veterinarian, that leave audiences doubled
over laughter. "His stories are meant to entertain, not to be analytical," says
Andy Wainwright of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "He calls into
question personal traits and behaviors that people deal with in the 90s."
When he is not doing his radio show, writing books or performing
live, McLean is a journalism professor at Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto.
Telling his stories to a live audience gives him his biggest thrill. "There’s no
feeling like when they laugh at the proper spots," he says. "It’s an
affirmation of all those hours of work I put into writing."
Stuart McLean’s appearance is free and open to the public.
It is underwritten by the MU President’s office, the SSHE Canadian Studies Consortium
and the Canadian Consulate General.
Keeping The Spirit Alive
The Santa’s Gift Bag program needs help to make sure more
than 150 needy area children have a Christmas to celebrate. The program, which was in
danger of being abandoned, has been kept alive by university personnel. They have been
joined by others in the community in the holiday effort. Abigail Costley, committee
member, said Santa’s Gift Bag has helped a lot of area families have a Christmas.
Kids should not go without Christmas."
There are several areas in which people can either donate to or
volunteer to help . They are: Wrapped Gifts: Olivia Mitcheltree, 662-4811
Mitten Project: Irene Morgan, Partners In Progress, 324-2840,
or MU Social Work Club, 662-4661
Toys: Arlene Welch, Mansfield Hose Company, 662-3514
Dolls: Cindy Frost, Laurel Health Senior Support Services, 638-1601
Stocking Project: Carole Wooley, Mansfield Ministerium, 662-2525.
Children being helped by Santa’s Gift Bag range in age from
one month to 17 years. Donations are due by November 30.
Members of the MU’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)
Team spent Monday and Tuesday working with students at New Covenant Academy. SIFE worked
on several business related activities, such as team building and risk taking, with the
sixth through 12th graders. Despite the business emphasis, all the activities
were designed to teach the students lessons they can use in any walk of life. Abe Ghods,
Business and Economics, coaches the SIFE team and Meredith Burris is the MU chapter
president.
The MU Forensic Team, coached by Sharon Carrish,
Communication and Theatre, finished fifth in the 31st Annual Mad Hatter
Individual Events tournament at Bloomsburg November 5-6. Mansfield finished one point
behind the University of Pennsylvania in the battle for fourth place and Seton Hall,
George Mason and Cornell were the only other schools in the 20-team field to finish ahead
of MU. Karen Holgate led the way, capturing first place in original poetry and
fifth place in dramatic interpretation and program oral interpretation. Darren DeVoue
took second in poetry interpretation, fourth in original poetry and fifth in pentathlon. Robin
Thomas was third in original poetry. Leah Phillips finished fifth in rhetorical
criticism and was a semi-finalist in impromptu speaking and Kari Weller took sixth
place in informative speaking. Phillips and Carl Madonna combined for
a fourth place finish in dramatic duo, while DeVoue and Thomas finished fifth.
Candace Cipolla and Jen Markert each were tri-winners, but it
wasn’t enough as MU fell to Bloomsburg (70-52) and Millersville (67-55) in a PSAC
swimming tri-meet at Millersville last Saturday. Cipolla, a junior, continued her
dominance in the backstroke winning both the 100 and 200, while freshman Markert continued
her strong early season showing by copping top honors in the 100 and 200 fly. Cipolla and
Markert were also members of the winning MU 200-medley relay team along with sophomore
Theresa Ulett and senior Jamie Ragukonis . The Mountaineers will travel to Lock Haven
Wednesday.
Brianne Liddick led the Mansfield University women's cross
country team to a 21st place team finish at the NCAA East Regional in Boston last Sunday.
Liddick, a junior, finished 70th overall in a field of over 227 on the 6k course with a
time of 24:22. Sophomore Nichole Beckel was 99th overall at 24:25 while Kristen Clark
placed 111th at 25:05. Freshman Sarah Sokoloski was 114th with a time of 25:09 with
freshman Theresa Stanford taking 175th with a time of 26:42. Although the men's team
failed to field the required five runners for team scoring, Eric Hayford capped off an
outstanding freshman season finishing 121st in a field of 218 with a time of 34:47 over
the 10k course.
The football team dropped a 53-21 decision at Bloomsburg last
Saturday. Record breaking running back Lee Brannon, a senior, rushed for 85 yards to
become the first player in school history to surpass the 3,000 career yardage mark. Junior
Tyree Patterson returned a fumble 73 yards for a touchdown and freshman Levi Green
returned a blocked punt for another score. The Mountaineers will host East Stroudsburg
this Saturday to close out the 1999 campaign
"Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires
change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the
ability to satisfy them."
--Henry Steele Commager
Library Listings
These bestsellers are now on the shelves at North Hall:
‘Tis by Frank McCourt
…And Never Let Her Go by Ann Rule