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Audiences will have five chances to experience the students’ artistry and talents as the Slippery Rock University Theatre Department’s presents “Ride the Cyclone,” March 6-11.

A popular musical from 2009, featuring music and lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, “Ride the Cyclone” follows the story of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir whose lives are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they wake up, each is given the chance to tell a story, with the prize being an opportunity to come to life.

Showtimes and dates are 7:30 p.m. on March 6-7 and March 10-11, and 2 p.m. on March 8 in the Stoner Black Box Theater. Tickets can be purchased at sru.edu/tickets.

The cast includes:

  • Hermes Johns, a sophomore acting major from Lusby, Maryland (Patuxent HS), as Karnak.
  • Michael Rodriguez, a sophomore acting major from Philipsburg (Philipsburg-Osceola HS), as Virgil.
  • Cameron Custer, a senior acting major from Aurora, Ohio (Aurora HS), as Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg.
  • Belle Trask, a sophomore acting major from Murphy, Texas (Plano East HS), as Constance Blackwood.
  • Max Milligan, a sophomore acting major from Pittsburgh (Shaler HS), as Mischa Bachinski.
  • Evan Jarvis, a junior acting major from Ormond Beach, Florida (Spruce Creek HS), as Noel Gruber.
  • Joey Estok, a junior acting major from Latrobe (Westinghouse Arts Academy HS), as Ricky Potts.
  • Kat Larrick, a junior acting major from Ewa Beach, Hawaii (Wakefield HS), as Jane Doe.

The understudies include:

  • Sean Kelly, a sophomore acting major from Indiana (Indiana HS), as Karnak.
  • Sydney Korpusik, a junior acting major from Dayton, Ohio (Centerville HS), as Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg.
  • Kadence Storms, a junior theatre major from Shohola (Delaware Valley HS), Constance Blackwood.
  • Correy Ahhaitty, a freshman acting major from Germantown, Maryland (Seneca Valley HS), as Mischa Bachinski.
  • Nick Cox, a sophomore acting major from Alden, New York (Saint Marys HS), as Noel Gruber.
  • D.J. Rinard, a junior acting major from Oakland, Maryland (Southern Garrett HS), as Ricky Potts.
  • Harmony Karwoski, a freshman music education major from Emsworth (Avonworth HS), as Jane Doe.

The creative team includes:

  • Sean Kelly, a sophomore acting major from Indiana (Indiana HS), as assistant director.
  • Lexi Gibbs as stage manager.
  • Zeni Freeman, a sophomore art major from Pittsburgh (Sto-Rox HS); and Elijah Nilson, a sophomore acting major from Williamsport (Williamsport HS), as assistant stage managers.
  • Lincoln Sandham as music director.
  • Maura Gibson, a senior dance major from Groves, Texas (Port Neches-Grove HS), as choreographer.
  • Sydney Korpusik, a junior acting major from Dayton, Ohio (Centerville HS), as dance captain.
  • Laura Smiley as intimacy director.
  • Samantha Kuchta as scenic designer.
  • Kat Larrick, a junior acting major from Ewa Beach, Hawaii (Wakefield HS), as associate scenic designer.
  • Ryan Mullen, a sophomore theatre major from Pittsburgh (North Hills HS), as lighting designer.
  • Rebecca Morrice as costume designer.
  • Mary Hodson as costume coordinator.
  • Julia Nurenberg, a sophomore acting major from Granger, Indiana (Penn HS), and Breydi Johnson, a freshman theatre major from Wilmerding (Easy Allegheny HS), as assistant costume designers.
  • Isaac Smith, a senior theatre major from Edinboro (General Mclane HS) as sound engineer.
  • Michael Boone as technical director.
  • Alex Barnhart as assistant technical director.
  • Delany Dzeskewicz, a junior theatre major from Jeannette (Hempfield HS), as propmaster.
  • Emma Hess, a junior theatre major from Erie (McDowell HS), as scenic charge artist.
  • Adyson Gedrich, a sophomore acting major from Farmington Hills, Michigan (North Farmington HS); and Cory Pierce, a senior management major from Gibsonia (Pine-Richland HS) as stage/props crew.
  • Piper Roth, a senior theatre major from Pittsburgh (Thomas Jefferson HS); Harmony Karwoski, a freshman music education major from Emsworth (Avonworth HS); D.J. Rinard, a junior acting major from Oakland, Maryland (Southern Garrett HS); and Vee Bernardi, a sophomore criminology-criminal justice major from Bethel Park (Bethel Park HS) as wardrobe crew.
  • Justin Kaine, a sophomore theatre major from Oakdale (South Fayette HS), as light board operators.
  • Isaiah Truesdale, a sophomore interdisciplinary programs major from Philadelphia (Roxborough HS), as sound playback operator.
  • Sam Hollerman, a freshman acting major from Murrysville (Franklin Regional HS), as projection playback operator.
  • Nate Boley, a freshman exploratory major from Slippery Rock (Rocky Grove HS); and Rowan Wilken, a freshman acting major from Oceanside, New York (Oceanside HS) as spotlight operators.

More information about theatre at SRU is available on the program’s webpage.

Maxwell Hildebrand

Maxwell Hildebrand is a student writer in SRU’s University Marketing and Communication Office. He is an English writing major from Greenville.