An Act of the Imagination, Mystery Thriller
Opens at Rector Little Theatre on Union's Campus

Nick Harris, holding the gun, rehearses a tense moment in the Union College Theatre production of An Act of the Imagination. Also pictured are Laura Love, playing his wife, and Danny Nettleton, playing his son.

A mystery thriller, An Act of the Imagination by Bernard Slade, is scheduled to open at the Rector Little Theatre on the campus of Union College on Thursday, February 24. Performances continue February 25, 26 and March 4 and 5. Curtain for all performances is 8:00 p.m.

Tickets may be purchased at the Union College Bookstore or at the door prior to curtain each night of performance. Admission is $5.00.

Set in England in 1964, the play involves a successful mystery writer in his late fifties who has just finished writing a romantic novel. The romance in the novel is between a man in his late fifties and a beguiling woman in her twenties. The writer's wife is both moved and concerned by the highly detailed love scenes in the novel. Is the novel pure fiction or has her husband fallen in love with another woman? What follows is a story built on twists and turns that cannot be revealed ahead of time.

All members of the cast and crew have signed an oath not to share the full story with anyone! Audiences must also promise not to reveal secrets. All who want to be part of the thrilling experience must come and see the show.

Leading the cast of seven as the writer, Arthur Putnam, is Nick Harris from Corbin. Joining Nick as Arthur's wife is Laura Love, also from Corbin. Audiences in Corbin and London are very familiar with the pair as they have appeared in many community theatre productions over the years. Union College Theatre is very pleased to have Nick and Laura appear on the Union College Theatre stage for the first time.

Danny Nettleton, the writer's son, is a Union College theatre veteran who won UCT's Best Actor award last year for his portrayal of the title character in The Nerd. Audiences familiar with Danny's work will be amazed at the different kind of character he portrays in this story of murder and mayhem.

Last season's Best Actress winner, Elisha Comer, portrays Arthur's newly assigned editor who is caught in the middle of the couple's troubles.

John Howard has returned to Union College Theatre after a two-year absence to take on the role of Fred, a police sergeant who has helped Arthur with research for many of his mystery novels in the past.

Two mysterious strangers round out the cast. Autumn Hicks, a student who has just transferred to Union and is the winner of the recent Miss Cumberland Valley scholarship pageant, plays one of these. Christina Frederick, a graduate of Union who teaches at Lynn Camp High School, plays the other stranger.

Gabrielle Mellendorf, who has much experience both onstage and behind the scenes, leads the technical staff as Stage Manager. Veteran members of the technical crew are Melissa Garrett, Shanon Ingram, Chris Garland, Earl Helton, Penny Mills, Amanda Stevenson, and Michael Miles. A talented newcomer is Christopher Osborne.

February 23, 2005

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