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Please note: Odin's Horse has been rescheduled for Oct. 19-22.
Lycoming College will open the 2022-23 theatre season with “Odin’s Horse,” a modern drama written by Robert Koon in 2006. This environmentally-focused play will be directed by Leslie Gulden, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of theatre, and will take place at the Mary L. Welch Theatre, Oct. 5-8 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available to purchase starting Sept. 20, by calling the box office at 570-321-4048 or online at http://www.bigtickets.com/events/lycoming-college.
“I am very excited about this production because it’s a show that I have wanted to direct for a long time,” said Gulden. “I thought that it would be a good choice for Lycoming College because of the setting and the conflict: In a town that was built on the logging industry, I believe this is a play with which audiences will identify.”
The woods of northern California might be a long way away from Williamsport, but the economic versus environmental issues of the logging industry are not. The title, “Odin’s Horse,” is a reference to the tree of life in Norse mythology. The story follows a writer looking for his next novel as he is pulled in each direction by the people he meets who all have differing and strong convictions about logging. This modern play is thought-provoking in the questions of “right” and “wrong” that it poses but doesn’t try to answer.
“We are early in the rehearsal process, but I am finding moments in the play that are quite funny,” said Gulden. “I didn’t expect that from reading it, but I feel that as the actors get to know their characters, they will bring even more humor and fun to the play.”
The cast and crew not only welcome Gulden as a visiting assistant professor this semester but also welcome both familiar and new students to the stage. Lead roles will be played by:
- Arman – Christian Becker ’24 (Philadelphia) theatre major, philosophy and law minor
- Astra – Hanna Bailey Martin ’25 (Edison, N.J.) psychology major
- Callie – McKayla Cobb ’24 (Coudersport, Pa.) theatre major, anthropology minor
- Lopat – Emma Kelchner ’26 (Nescopeck, Pa.) undeclared
- Seaver – Thatcher Gunnells ’24 (Lebanon, Pa.) creative writing and theatre double major
- Evans – Douglas Dixey ’25 (Bensalem, Pa.) theatre major, music minor
Ticket prices for all shows are $10 for general admission and $8 for students and seniors.
Lycoming’s theatre program is full of opportunity for practical experience. Students flourish as they explore concentrations in acting, directing, musical theatre, design/technology, and stage management. As early as freshman year, students are encouraged to audition for shows and become involved in productions. The curriculum combines practical training in every aspect of theatre with a look back at the history and literature that has shaped theatre as an art form. More information on theatre at Lycoming College can be found at https://www.lycoming.edu/theatre/.