Submitted by HORIZON YOUTH THEATRE
Horizon Youth Theatre is pleased to announce its 2016 fall production, The Great Cross Country Race, written by Alan Broadhurst and directed by Cassie Greenlee. Performances are at Otsego High School, 18505 Tontogany Creek Road, on Saturday October 8 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; and Sunday October 9 at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $5.00 and are available at HorizonYouthTheatre.org or at the door.
There will also be a preview at Wood County District Public Library on Saturday, October 1 at 10:30 am, which is free and open to the public.
This show features human-like animals who make more sense than the people do. Assembled for Sports Day, the animals cannot find anyone to compete with Ms. Fleet the hare in the cross-country race until Ms. Sloe the tortoise agrees to challenge her. In the course of the race, the scatter-brained hare is easily diverted, particularly by encounters with humans, while the tortoise plods slowly and steadily to the finish line. Only the animals speak intelligible language; the humans’ gobble-de-gook is as incomprehensible to the audience as it is to the animals.
The human language, referred to as gobble-de-gook, or “gibberish” by the cast and production team, was created by Keith Guion. Only one character, Basket the Dog (played by Thomas Long), can understand both the animals and the humans, and occasionally provides translation.
The cast and production team are as follows:
The Animals:
Dark the Rook – Calista Wilkins
Sett the Badger – JJ Poiry
Warren the Rabbit – Amalia Cloeter
Spiney the Hedgehog – Grace Holbrook
Paddle the Rat – Isaac Douglass
Brush the Squirrel – Maddox Brosious
Basket the Dog – Thomas Long
Sloe the Tortoise – Sophi Hachtel
Fleet the Hare – Scarlet Frishman
The Humans:
Jackie – Terra Sloane
Robin – Anita Kukeli
Fisherman – Aidan Funk
Maude – Sky Frishman
Georgina – Bella Truman
Mr. Urban Notcouth – Bob Walters
Mrs. Urban Notcouth – Katie Partlow
Brandi Notcouth – Alexandra Roberts-Zibbel
Sophia Notcouth – Narnia Rieske
Farmer Black – Daniel Cagle
Mrs. Stainer – Anne Weaver
The Production Team:
Assistant Director – Meagan Worthy
Stage Manager – Stephanie Harden
Set Construction – Greg Hall
Costuming – Christina Hoekstra
Makeup Instruction – Meghan Koesters
During rehearsal the animals cheer as Ms. Sloe the Tortoise (Sophi Hachtel) approaches the finish line.
**HYT would like to thank OTSEGO SCHOOLS for the generous access to its facilities we’ve enjoyed since 2014. We couldn’t do this without you.**
