Theatre at Bridgewater College will present Today is My Birthday by Susan Soon He Stanton from Oct. 27-30 in Cole Hall on the College’s campus.
The show will begin at 8 p.m. each night.
Told through a playful mixture of live radio, voicemail and phone calls, Today is My Birthday is a quirky comedy about adult life with a thousand friends on Facebook and no one to have dinner with on Saturday night.
The production is open to the public. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors ages 65 and older and non-BC students, and free for BC students, faculty and staff. Today is My Birthday is recommended for mature audiences.
In keeping with guidance from the CDC, Bridgewater College requires that all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, properly wear face masks when indoors in public areas of campus.
Members of the cast include:
- Carlos “CJ” Allen, a senior sociology major from Alexandria, Va.
- Jessica Arnold, a junior communication, technology and culture major from Middletown, Va.
- Kyle “Kai” Bowman, a sophomore theatre major from Waynesboro, Va.
- Kylie Chisnell, a senior psychology and business administration double major from Owings Mills, Md.
- Abigail Fraley, a sophomore political science major from Gap Mills, W.Va.
- Elizabeth “Beth” Gaver, a junior global studies and history and political science double major from Hagerstown, Md.
- Elysia Gomez, a senior theatre major from Manassas Park, Va.
- Jacob Leach, a sophomore computer science major from Waynesboro, Va.
- Bailey Morrison, a junior digital media arts major from Floyd, Va.
- Rachael Wilcox, a sophomore business administration major from Harrisonburg, Va.
Gomez plays the main character in the show, Emily, a would-be writer whose bubble life in NYC has popped. Finding life back home chaotic and unfulfilling, she becomes strangely activated after creating a sassy alter-ego for a radio bit.
“I learned a lot about Emily and how she holds on to the past throughout the show and, at the end, how she lets go, which is really inspirational to me,” Gomez said. “I’m looking forward to the audience seeing this play because I think people are going to love it. I hope the audience takes away how real the play feels.”
Margaret “Maggie” Hodnett, a junior health and exercise science major from Roanoke, Va., is the stage manager. This is her first production with Bridgewater.
“I’m looking forward to theater being back,” Hodnett said. “During the pandemic, the theater and performing arts industry took a massive hit and it is finally starting to open back up again. Since the show takes place all on the phone, it gives an insight into how we communicated during the lockdown and how important community is.”
Other set crew members include Adam Lorfink, a junior psychology major from Winchester, Va., Kaprisha Evans, a senior communication, technology and culture major from Baltimore, Md., and Matthew Ciccone, a senior theatre major from Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Today is My Birthday is directed by Scott Cole, associate professor of theatre at Bridgewater College. Working with the production are Bridgewater College adjuncts in theatre Shannon Dove on set design, Holly Labbe on costume design and Ryan Howard on lighting and sound design.
At a glance
Theatre at Bridgewater College Presents: Today is My Birthday
When: Oct. 27-30, shows at 8 p.m. each night.
Where: Cole Hall on Bridgewater College’s campus
Notes: For mature audiences. Face masks required, regardless of vaccination status. $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (65+) and non-BC students, free for BC students, faculty and staff.
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