Blue Chicory Players at BSC
to Present “The Curious Savage,”
April 13-14

( Bluefield)—The Blue Chicory Players at Bluefield State College will present its production of “The Curious Savage,” by John Patrick on April 13-14, 2006, beginning at 7:30 p.m. nightly in the Basic Science Auditorium on the BSC campus. The group is under the direction of Dr. Alma Bennett, Assistant Professor of Speech.

“The Curious Savage” is the warm-hearted tale of Mrs. Ethel Savage, a slightly eccentric, extremely wealthy widow. Being the recipient of her deceased husband’s estate, she wants to make the best use of it, despite her greedy stepchildren’s selfish attempts to get their hands on it. Mrs. Savage, however, has put her wealth into negotiable bonds in the hopes of establishing a fund to help others realize their hopes and dreams, much to the siblings’ chagrin. They then commit her to a “sanitorium” in the hopes of shocking her to her senses. There she meets a variety of social misfits, all needing exactly the kind of help Mrs. Savage can provide. They eventually appear more sane that those outside the walls of the institution. These wonderful individuals run the gamut of characterization possibilities, and immediately endear themselves to Mrs. Savage (and to the audience as well). With the help of her new-found friends, Mrs. Savage leads her stepchildren on a merry chase which eventually brings them to the pits of humiliation and despair even as Mrs. Savage obtains her freedom. The dominant mood is comedy with plots, plans, and hi-jinx, however the philosophy is far from laughable. The audience is left with a feeling that the neglected virtues of kindness and affection have not been entirely lost in a world that seems motivated at times only by greed and dishonesty.

The cast includes Jamie Epperson, Melissa Roland, A.J. Carr, Lee Rose, Becky Dale, Cynthia Repass, Samuel Owens, Kathy Kish, Daniel Clark, and Shamatee Mitchell. “The students involved in this production have been greatly challenged,” Dr. Bennett noted. “They have not only worked hard learning lines and characterization, but they have also invested many hours constructing a beautiful box set to represent “The Cloisters” (the sanitorium in which Mrs. Savage has been placed). I am confident the audiences will enjoy the performance immensely and take away a good feeling about what should be truly valued in life.”

Tickets will be available ($5 each) at the door. BSC students and employees will be admitted free of charge.

March 29, 2006