Owl Creek

Ithaca College Theatre and the School of Music present Owl Creek: A New Musical, marking the show's first full stage production. A preview will be held March 29; performances on March 31, April 1, 2, and 5-10.

The event will also mark the homecoming of up-and-coming director Jamibeth Margolis '95 and composer and lyricist Ben Cohn '97. Both alumni have been key forces in bringing the play to fruition.

"Owl Creek is inspired by An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce's macabre tale of a hanging during the Civil War," Margolis says. "The story was developed into an award-winning film and was also the subject of a Twilight Zone episode. Even though the characters in our musical are somewhat different than the ones depicted by Bierce, the fine line of reality versus imagination is explored in our piece in much the same way."

The play takes place in Virginia in 1893. A group of sons and daughters of Civil War veterans touring various historical sites comes across the Owl Creek Bridge and revisit the eerie events that took place there in 1863.

"Through our hero's eyes and in his mind, we are able to see and share the hopes and dreams of a man facing death," Margolis says. "By allowing itself to be transported back to 19th-century Virginia, the audience can follow the characters on journeys that, though separate, are all taken for love."

Four years in the making, the play's own journey to the stage has included a professional reading, several workshop productions, and a backer's audition in New York. Margolis has been the director throughout and Cohn, with Sean McDaniel, wrote the book, music, and lyrics. The performances at Ithaca College will be the first ones with lights, sets, costumes, and all the other accompanying design elements.

"We are extremely proud of our alumni," says Lee Byron, director of theater and associate professor and chair of theater arts. "The opportunity for our actors and artistic team to work with an accomplished director like Jamibeth Margolis is tremendous. In addition, we are excited to offer our patrons the chance to see this wonderful show before it moves on to other venues."

Margolis graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in theater arts. Her many directing credits in New York City including Dear Maudie(Triad Theatre), Far From the Madding Crowd (First Annual New York Musical Theatre Festival), Berlin (Theatre 315), and The Music of Ben Cohn and Sean McDaniel (various cabaret venues). For seven years, she was a casting director with Johnson-Liff Casting Associates.

After receiving his bachelor's degree in music education, Ben Cohn graduated from New York University's musical theater writing program. He has performed with a number of orchestras on Broadway. As a writing team, he and Sean McDaniel are currently developing Project Bluebook with producer Andrew Kato.

The Owl Creek cast includes Aaron Tveit '06 as David Coulter; Kaitlin Stillwell '05 as his true love, Sarah; Kevin Green '06 as Parker; and Jeremy Pickard '05 as the Father. The artistic design team includes scenic designer Dan Meeker, assistant professor of theatre arts; costume designer Hannah Davis '05; and lighting designer Steve TenEyck, associate professor of theater arts.

Performances of Owl Creek: A New Musical will be held at 8:00 p.m. on March 29 and 31, April 1 and 2, and April 5-9, with 2:00 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10. All performances will be in the Clark Theatre, Dillingham Center.

Tickets can be purchased at the Ithaca College Theatre ticket office in Dillingham Center, the Clinton House Ticket Center, and Cornell University's Willard Straight Hall. Ticket prices range from $4.50 to $10.00. The Dillingham ticket office is currently open for single ticket sales, Monday through Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling (607) 274-3796. For additional information call (607) 274-3224 or visit www.ithaca.edu/theatre.

A nationally recognized professional theater training program, the Department of Theatre Arts attracts students from across the United States. Through Ithaca College Theatre and the production season, undergraduate students present all aspects of theater in a professional model. Ithaca College Theatre has been a cultural resource for Tompkins County and the region for more than 70 years.