Moonchildren opens in two days... many good seats still available.

WHEN: February 12, 13, 14, at 7:30 p.m. and February 15 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Russell Hall on the University of Southern Maine’s Gorham Campus
TICKETS: Students $7, Seniors/Faculty/Staff/Alumni $10, General public $14
BOX OFFICE: (207) 780-5151

MOONCHILDREN, written by Michael Weller and directed by Professor Wil Kilroy, is the passionately funny, and emotionally earnest story of five college roommates teetering on the edge of real life in the late 1960s. Projected onto a backdrop of war protests and graduate school draft deferments, the characters (which range from serious, to kooky to downright nerdy) must confront love, betrayal, death, invisible felines and their exceedingly strange landlord.

The New York Times writes, "Ever since it appeared on Broadway in 1972 to enthusiastic reviews... Michael Weller's ''Moonchildren'' has enjoyed a reputation as the definitive play about college students of the 1960's. That's a tough burden for any work to bear. The kids of the 60's seemed homogeneous only to those adults who failed to understand them."

Though the play is 37-years-old, it still rings with a clear tone of relevance today. American wars still rage in far off lands, and college students still seek clear paths through the quick sands of sex and politics, toward their true selves — be it 1965 or 2009. The language is sharp, witty and definitely suitable for mature playgoers only. USM's student actors infuse the roommates' banter with the true emotional energy only fellow students can muster.

"'Moonchildren' is still timely," says director Wil Kilroy. "It made sense and was funny, in 1970-something, and it still does."

Publicity pictures and more

Official publicity photos were taken last week. They included groovy 60's costumes and four delicious Burger King whoppers as props. They were immediately consumed following the shoot, and regretted almost as fast.

Ruth (Autumn Pound, Deering High School 06) reaches for Dick's (Benjamin Row, Kennebunk High School 05) precious hamburgers while roommates Bob (Micheal Lynch of MA) and Kathy (Rylee Doiron, Mt Blue High School 07) look on.

Ruth (Autumn Pound, Deering High School 06), gives Dick (Benjamin Row, Kennebunk High School 05) a hard time about his precious hamburgers.

Rehearsals continue (including Saturday and Sunday) as opening night gets closer.

Jordan Handren-Seavey (Oxford Hills High School 03), left, playing Cootie, Merideth Lamothe (Wells High School 07), center, playing space shot Shelly and Kelsey Taylor (Piscataquis Community High School 07), playing Mike, rehearse on the main stage in Russell Hall January 23.

Autumn Pound (Deering High School 06) rehearses the part of Ruth.

Lights up!

Atop a ladder, senior theatre major Jeff Toombs runs some of the 550 feet of lighting cable needed to connect the stage lighting to their controls in the booth above the theatre. Toombs is the "master electrician," for all productions this year and he also designed the set for Moonchildren.

Using a bowline knot, Danny Gay ties off a light as it gets hoisted to its spot
near the ceiling in Russell Hall.

Neal Morton lugs coil of lighting cable from the house to the stage in Russell Hall. Morton, Gay and Toombs gave up thier Saturday to help hang lights.

Practice makes perfect

MOONCHILDREN rehearsals continue...

Jordan Handren-Seavey, top, playing Cootie, rehearses with Mike Johnson,

who plays Norman, on the main stage in Russell Hall.

Kelsey Taylor, center, plays Mike.

Michael Lynch, playing Bob and Rylee Doiron, playing Kathy, run lines before a rehearsal.

WINTER BREAK IS OVER

ABOVE: Autumn Pound, as Ruth, Kelsey Taylor, center, as Mike,
and Jordan Handren-Seavey as Cootie, rehearse on the main stage in Russell Hall.

Vacation has come and gone. It's cold outside, but Russell Hall is heating up and vibrating with actors, designers, and stage crews as work accelerates on the first production of the new year.

MOONCHILDREN, written by Michael Weller and directed by Wil Kilroy, is the passionately funny, and emotionally earnest story of five college roommates teetering on the edge of real life in the late 1960s.

ABOVE: Stage Manager Andrew Hesselbart, right, along with
Assistant Stage Managers Dustin "DJ" Hutchins and Molly Derrig,
sort out technical details before the production's first rehearsal on the main stage.

MOONCHILDREN
WHEN: February 12, 13, 14, at 7:30 p.m. and February 15 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: Russell Hall on the University of Southern Maine’s Gorham Campus
TICKETS: Students $7, Seniors/Faculty/Staff/Alumni $10, General public $14,
BOX OFFICE: (207) 780-5151