Theatre
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (2009)
The New York Times called it “a stunning drama … It is the quintessence of life. It is the basic truth. In a plantation house, the members of the family are celebrating the sixty-fifth birthday of the Big Daddy, as they sentimentally dub him. The tone is gay. But the mood is somber. For a number of old evils poison the gaiety — sins of the past, greedy hopes for the future, a desperate eagerness not to believe in the truths that surround them … ‘Cat On a Hot Tin Roof’ is a delicately wrought exercise in human communication. ‘Cat On a Hot Tin Roof’ is limpid and effortless. As theatre, it is superb.”
Erika DeBoer as Maggie
Approaching the Role
“Maggie is trying to remain sane as best as she can in a situation where she feels entirely alone and completely frustrated. She does her best to end this ‘hideous transformation’ and maintain some pieces of her normal life. She is so close to losing everything she’s ever known. As a performer, I tried to understand the desperation of this woman and realize her situation depends on each and every moment. It’s such a challenge and somewhat exhausting to fill Maggie’s shoes but it’s also one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had on stage.”
The Production
“I think the best part of this production is that everything about it is challenging! I don’t remember, in all four years of my college experience, a play containing accents and such immense material. This play is so original compared to other productions. Every character has something to work with and a story. I feel very lucky to get this opportunity.”
Thoughts for Prospective Students and Audience Members
“I honestly think people will enjoy this performance because it’s such a well-written piece of work. The script, to me, is captivating.”
Rhett Breedlove as Brick
Approaching the Role
“I play the role of Brick, which to me has been one of the most interesting and difficult characters I have ever had the opportunity to play. He’s totally alone within himself, his life, his family, in which he refuses to accept where he is. To Brick, he has only had one great true friend in his life, who is now gone. So to him, there’s a sense of ‘what is the point of all of this? I have no friends, I hate my wife, my family.’ He’s always waiting for that moment where everything makes sense. Unfortunately, the way he does this is very sad to think about.”
The Production
“The one thing that has made this challenging, I think for everyone, is that all of the characters are so colorful in their own way. There is not one single character in the entire play that does not have a kind of depth to them, some kind of background, that does not make you want to find out more about them, or follow them further.”
Thoughts for Prospective Students and Audience Members
“Every single person can relate to at least one character in the play. It’s all about communication, how incredibly hard it can be whether it’s a complete stranger, a friend or a family member you know better than anyone else, and the life-altering consequences when you have no communication.”
Shalee Jones as Big Mama
Approaching the Role
“I am Big Mama. I am the life of the party; I’m the one who planned this birthday party and am trying as hard as I can to keep it going. I don’t know the entire truth about Big Daddy until the end of the night and then you see a shift into someone that you didn’t see earlier. Big Mama is a larger than life woman, literally and figuratively; her personality is something that I think everyone will appreciate in this show.
“For this role I prepared by getting more familiar with the script and watching some clips from the movie. This role has been a challenge for me, more so than some that I have been involved in, even from high school, so it’s taken a lot of time and preparation to get into the Big Mama mind frame.”
The Production
“Something that I find challenging is the accents we have to speak with. Most of us are not completely familiar with the accents so that has taken some time to get used to as well as the lines and blocking. It’s also different for me personally because I have never been a part of a classical play such as ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof;’ so some of the language and style of this play is different than what I am used to.”
Thoughts for Prospective Students and Audience Members
“‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ is a great show to see, and most people will be able to relate, not necessarily with some of the situations that happen, but with the relationships and the overall plot of the play. We would really appreciate the support of the community and students so take some time out and come see us!”
Colton Neidhardt as Big Daddy
Approaching the Role
“Big Daddy is a character who copes with a lot of the issues that are associated with being a bombastic millionaire. He has achieved immense success at every level of his business and professional life, but has neglected his personal life for so long that he has become disconnected from what ultimately matters most, his family. He is withdrawn and selfish. The situation isn’t helped by any of his family members, who are all essentially walking on egg shells when they are in the same room as him, sucking up, laughing at bad jokes, hoping to be mentioned in his will.”
The Production
“This production has been a sincere joy to work on. Each member of the cast has really taken to their parts, and made this a very collaborative experience. I’m very proud of the work that we’ve put in, and am confident that this show will stick out as one of the best CSC productions in recent years. It’s been a special experience and I would be remiss to not thank Roger Mays (director) for the opportunity to play such a dynamic character.”
Thoughts for Prospective Students
“Choosing which college to attend was a very stressful experience for me. Ultimately I chose the more affordable option, and have not regretted it once. I am part of a theatre program with a dedicated following and an amazing faculty that is truly interested in my personal success. Furthermore, those of us in the program are essentially each other’s family away from home. Simply put, we are members of a small program that produces quality theatre.”
Mason Quinn as Gooper
Approaching the Role
“I play Gooper, who is Big Daddy and Big Mama’s oldest son. Gooper feels unappreciated by his family and and resents Brick and Big Daddy for Big Daddy’s favoritism toward Brick. He and his wife Mae both seem to think their family deserves the plantation when Big Daddy dies.”
The Production
“The biggest challenge for me in this role is that I have never played an antagonist before. Basically my goal for the play is to deceive my family and make them think that I’m only looking our for everybody’s best interests when I’m really just trying to get a good sized inheritance. Also, I think speaking a southern dialect has been an interesting and fun challenge for everyone in the cast.”
Thoughts for Prospective Students and Audience Members
“This show is a classic that everyone should try to see at least once in their life. It’s very exciting just to be included in the cast, so I hope a lot of people come see the play so we can show off all our hard work.”
Shannon Smay as Reverend Tooker
Approaching the Role
“The character I portray is Reverend Tooker, who of course is pretty much a pastor, so he’s respected greatly. However, he’s always on the lookout for who can help him out with his church the most; in other words, who can give up the most cash to make his congregation look good. I would say that he has definitely got a selfish side, but also is very respectful of Big Daddy and his family; they’ve known each other for quite some time. Approaching the role, I put myself in that old-time religious man position, being humble and all, but assertive when I need to be.”
The Production
“This is the most serious, or dramatic, role that I’ve played in a production; even though it’s not a major role, I am still in extreme life experience situations that revolve around life and death of loved ones. Most of my other roles have been very comical and colorful, showing my strong potential in bringing a humorous atmosphere to the audience, and the role I played in ‘Cyrano,’ three semesters ago, was a mixture of dramatic and comical, I guess you could say.”
Thoughts for Prospective Students
“This play is definitely the closest to ‘real-life’ than any of the other productions we put on here at CSC, at least the ones that I’ve been in. Even though the time period is set way back in the day, we can still catch the same conflicts and situations that we face today within families and all sorts of relationships.”
Chris Gibson as Doctor Baugh
Approaching the Role
“My character is Doctor Baugh. He is a businessman as well as a physician. He has sympathy for his patients and their families, but when honesty is crucial, he is straightforward.
“Learning about your character involves analyzing their lines and actions, and with Doctor Baugh it also involves identifying his goals and the tasks appointed to him. For example, Doc Baugh has the unfortunate task of informing Big Mama that her husband is dying of cancer. Obviously, this information is not simple to deliver, but Baugh must take the initiative and give his honest medical advice. I, in turn, take this and do my best to show the audience a doctor that has the will power to deliver difficult news and still be a shoulder to lean on.”
The Production
“This production involves a southern accent, and in order to provide the audience with a realistic southern atmosphere, one must adopt the dialect and practice the accent until it flows like water. I, personally, have never done a main stage performance where an accent was necessary. It is a delightful challenge that helps you ‘become’ another person and expand the imagination of the audience.”
Thoughts for Prospective Students
“This production is not merely a story about an alcoholic and his dying father, but about the family unit as a whole. Even though we may feel like the world is coming to an end and things could not get any worse, everyone still has family to rely on and help them get through it. One thing about the Politt Family is that they seem to have nothing but hatred for each other. But, in the end, they all unite to face Big Daddy’s cancer.”
Tamsyn Dalton, Stage Manager
“I am the stage manager for ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.’ I take this job and the responsibilities that come with it very seriously. I am open to changing what needs to be changed and I try to get everyone to do their best.
“It’s my first time stage managing and it’s a main stage show, so it’s a little overwhelming, but really exciting.
“This is going to be a great show. Everyone’s working so hard at getting everything to the highest level possible. There is so much going on with this production that most people won’t even see, but is vital to the performance!”
Directed by Roger Mays
Approaching “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”
“To tackle a play of this psychological complexity and maturity would be challenging even to a professional cast. After all, this play has gone through the capable hands of directors such as Elia Kazan, and actors such as Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, James Earl Jones, Jessica Lange, Burl Ives, Rip Torn and a host of others. Yet our group of CSC actors has risen to the occasion with extraordinary character work, honesty and bravery in the telling of this brutally honest story.”
The Production
“Our design team (Clint Wright and Scott Cavin) uses selected realism to create the Pollitt family mansion, showing us both the inside and exterior of the room simultaneously. The costume design by Shelby Wilson is spot on, creating the three generations of Pollitts present in the play.”
Thoughts for the Audience
“It is the Theatre Program’s goal each year to present at least one production of lasting literary merit that has its rightful place in theatre history and has stood the test of time for audiences of today. Tennessee Williams’ ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ certainly fits that bill. The play is rated R for language, yet for those who love truly powerful theatre, this is one they won’t want to miss.”
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
April 16–19, 2009
Memorial Hall Auditorium
Mature Audiences
For Tickets: 308-432-6360 or boxoffice@csc.edu