BATESVILLE — The Lyon College Theatre Department’s annual fall production will be Southern Girls. The play will begin its run Saturday.
Set during the civil rights movement and in a time when segregation was prevalent in American society, the play features three black girls and three white girls who travel back and forth between present day (1992) and through their memories (1956).
The plot takes a look into the lives of the six girls and their place during an important part of American history.
“Hopefully, it will be offensive,” said Michael Counts, Lyon College theater professor and director of the play. “Some people need to be offended. It is an offensive play, with language straight from the time period.
“I have no idea what people will think. I tell my students to just do their best and believe in the show. That is all that really matters.”
Costumes, sounds, lights and most of the set are all student-made and student-run.
“It is how they learn,” Counts said.
Collin Brown, the assistant theater professor, is helping with the play, as well as the mechanics of the show.
The cast includes Haley Hudson as June-Adele Taylor; Miracle Davis as Naomi Hurdle; Kelley Wyatt as Charlotte Cecil Martin; Kelsey Lack as Dolly Granger Jackson; Nina McCoy as Wanda-Sue Johnson; and Vivian Onyekwelu as Ruth Hurdle.
Several students are part of the crew, including Jessica Phelps, stage manager; Luke Diver, lighting design; Lauren Holt, costume design; Jacob Hancock, sound design/operator; Spencer Hall, light board operator; Lauren Bass and Victor Wilson, assistant stage managers; Justin Holmes, properties master; Elijah Furquan and Logan Watkins, stage crew; Devon Caron, hair/makeup; Whitney Abbott, Gran Bentz, Ashley Bruno, Autumn Bryant, Scott Campbell, Jason Lee and Natalie McFarland, set construction; and Lauren Holt and Jessica Phelps, costume construction.
The cost of the play is $7 for adults and $5 for children and senior citizens. Lyon College students, faculty and staff are able to attend for free with a college ID.
The play will be presented at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24, and again Wednesday, Oct. 27, and Thursday, Oct. 28, at the same time. During the performances, there will be one 15-minute intermission.
No cell phones, cameras or recording devices are allowed during performances.
The show is a participating production in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
The state festival is being held at ASU-Beebe on Sunday, Oct. 31, through Wednesday, Nov. 3.