SJRCC PRESS RELEASE June 2008 Florida School of the Arts presents "Look Homeward, Angel" Florida School of the Arts presents the dramatic coming-of-age play "Look Homeward, Angel," based on the autobiographic novel by Thomas Wolfe. The show runs June 12 - 14 at 7:30 p.m. and June 15 at 2:30 p.m. on the FloArts Main Stage Theatre at the St. Johns River Community College Palatka Campus. Admission is $5. The play contains mild language and mild adult subject matter. FloArts instructor and play director Patricia Crotty said "Look Homeward, Angel," is an intense drama that is beautifully written. Adapted by Ketti Frings, the story flashes back to a busy boarding house in 1916 where Eugene Gant recalls the summer he comes of age and deals with the dynamics of his dysfunctional parents, the death of his brother and his own departure for college. "It's easy to relate to the events as a parent and as a child," Crotty said. "They are archetypical in that we all go through the emotions of growing up and letting children grow up." Crotty added that although the play is extremely moving, it also contains a lot of humor. Scenic and lighting design instructor Robert O'Leary said that from a set designer's prospective, retelling a story from memory, especially when immersed in poetic thought, offers the ability to visually travel to unrealistic places in order to reinforce specific details of that memory. "Audience members will see intense characters in beautifully-designed period costumes on a stage full of skeletal and translucent architecture," O'Leary said. "The lighting will play mysteriously across the set and allow the audience to see through walls as they come to understand the layers of the story and its characters." O'Leary said this style of scenic architecture is new to FloArts. "We will step back from the more standard wooden scenery and step into a world of skeletal steel, twisted plastics, and translucent and textured fabrics," O'Leary said. "It should be quiet a visual treat for our audiences to discover." Along with a cast of mostly first-year students, the play includes three guest performers. Former SJRCC Vice President Edward 'Bud' Wiley will begin the play with a voice-over as an older Eugene. FloArts acting instructor Ed Kelly will play Eugene's father, the misunderstood and alcoholic W. O. Gant, and St. Augustine resident and actress Kitty Clarke will play Eugene's mother, Eliza Gant, the emotionally detached real estate entrepreneur. The featured cast list includes Kip LaCombe as Eugene Gant, Bruce Popielarski as Luke Gant, Garrett Page as Ben Gant, Jenna Thomas Smith as Mrs. Marie Pert, Chelsea Anderson as Helen Gant Barton, Patrick Taylor as Hugh Barton, Michael Philips as Will Pentland, Brian Lugo as Jake Clatt, Anna Kross as Mrs. Clatt, Lydia Abraham as Florry Mangle, Megan Georgeo as Mrs. Snowden, Charles Hale as Mr. Farrel, Vera Samuels as Miss Brown, Colleen Fahy as Laura James, Torey Scarbrough as Dr. Maguire, Christian Lykiardopoulos as Tarkinton, Carmin Williams as Madame Elizabeth, and additional boarders played by Matty Hixon, Alix Daugherty and Laura Rondinelli. Florida School of the Arts is Florida's first state-supported professional arts school that serves the entire state of Florida and awards the two-year associate degree. FloArts is located on the SJRCC Palatka Campus. For more information, call 386-312-4300 or visit the Web site at www.floarts.org. PHOTO CAPTIONS: PHOTO TOP: FloArts student Kip LaCombe rehearses with St. Augustine resident and actress Kitty Clarke for the production of "Look Homeward, Angel," the dramatic coming-of-age play based on the autobiographic novel by Thomas Wolfe. PHOTO 2: FloArts acting instructor Ed Kelly (left) and FloArts student Chelsea Anderson rehearse for the production of "Look Homeward, Angel," the dramatic coming-of-age play based on the autobiographic novel by Thomas Wolfe. Anderson plays the role of Helen Gant Barton, the daughter of W. O. Gant, played by Kelly. Return to SJRCC home page.