September 19, 2006

Theater department to stage 'The Highwayman'

by Sun Min

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The theater department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will present a play written by Thomas Michael Campbell, a graduate student in playwriting.

"The Highwayman" will run Wednesday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Oct. 1, in the Christopher H. Moe Laboratory Theater in the SIUC Communications Building. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. for the Wednesday through Saturday shows and 2 p.m. for the Sunday show.

Directed by Chad Lewis of Orlando, "The Highwayman" is about a man who has a vision of his abandoned wife, an innkeeper's lustful daughter and the ghost of the legendary Nesscliffe Highwayman.

"The Highwayman" is one of many student plays the department is showcasing this school year.

"Through the efforts of Chris Moe, my predecessor, the program at SIUC is one of the strongest in the country," said David A. Rush, head of the playwriting program. "It's one of a half-dozen or so universities that offer a master's of fine arts in this area. Bringing these plays to the forefront of the season is a significant opportunity for our artists."

Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $6 for children and students. Box office hours are noon-5:30 p.m. weekdays and an hour before each performance. The theater and box office are in the Communications Building on campus. Tickets are also available by phone at 618/453-3001. For more information, contact marketing coordinator Vincent Rhomberg at mcldpub@siu.edu or 618/453-7589.

Coordinating and expanding major cultural outreach programs are among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.