shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com February 11, 2020 • Page 11 Two Of A Kind Opposite Personalities Come Across Some Common Ground In New MMC Play BY REILLY BIEL P&D Correspondent Everyone has heard the jokes that start out with “two men walk into a bar.” But what happens when two women talk in a kitchen? That question will be answered during Mount Marty College’s (MMC) theatre production of “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking.” Written by playwright John Ford Noonan with music by Loudon Wainwright III, the play centers on uptight Maude (Samantha Soukup) finding her structured life interrupted by the arrival of a new neighbor, outspoken Texan Hannah Mae (Elita Eastman). As the title suggests, the play focuses on the women’s budding friendship as they learn to understand each other despite their differences. This is accomplished in the confines of Maude’s kitchen — which will feel quite small due to the unique approach director James Hovland Jr. is taking regarding the audience. Instead of seating people throughout Marian Auditorium, attendees will sit onstage within a few feet of the set and the actresses. Seating will be limited due to this change. “It feels like a sitcom,” Hovland said. “I’ve joked that it feels like we’re KELLY HERTZ/P&D Those attending Mount Marty College’s production of “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking” will be able to get up close and personal with the cast thanks to special seating placed literally on the Marian Auditorium stage. doing it in front of a live studio audience.” This is further accomplished with the set’s early 1980s decor and costuming. “It’s been interesting getting (the actresses) into the mindset of not letting anything that’s happening right behind them distract them from what they’re doing,” Hovland added. Having the audience so close means that little details that normally wouldn’t be sweated in a regular stage production need to be there to make the set feel more like a real kitchen. This means various appliances found in a normal kitchen setting, including a refrigerator and a telephone, will be functioning and utilized in the show. Hovland said having these on-set details has helped the actresses improve their performances, which is especially important given there are only two people onstage throughout the 80-minute show. Another difference is that the play will be performed without intermission, giving the actresses little time in between KELLY HERTZ/P&D Hannah Mae (Elita Eastman, left) invades the kitchen (and personal) space of Maude (Samantha Soukup) in a scene from Mount Marty College’s production of “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking,” which will be presented at Marian Auditorium this weekend. scenes. “The original script does have an intermission written in, but we felt that since the show moves pretty quickly and the action is light and fun, it worked without it,” Hovland explained. The comedy comes from the classic trope of seeing two opposites butt heads with each other while simultaneously finding ways to come together. “The theme of friendship can mean many different things to many different people,” Hovland said. “Hannah Mae has a more liberal sense of friendship while Maude is more conservative in that regard. So we get to see how each of those ideas of friendship bleed into each other.” Hovland is eager for audiences to come and experience an MMC theatre performance in a new way. “We have found moments of clarity and comedy every day, so it’s been a fun experiment,” he said. “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking” is rated PG-13. Performances will be Friday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling 605-668-1234 or by visiting www.mount- marty.edu/boxoffice. ——— CAST & CREW Maude Mix — Samantha Soukup; Hannah Mae Binder — Elita Eastman Director/Designer/Technical Director/Box Office — James Hovland Jr.; Costumes/Makeup — Dawn Ferris; Stage Manager/ Sound Operator — Kassondra Gooley; Dresser — Alanna Binder; Dresser — Rita Woodraska; Set Design/Playbill/House Manager — Andy Henrickson; Light Board Operator — Adam Roskam; Props Master — Rachel Flynn The Bookworm ... For Young Readers ‘Clean Getaway’ Is A Perfect Travel Companion “Clean Getaway” by Nic Stone; © 2020, Crown Books for Young Readers. 229 pages ——— BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER Your next vacation could be the dream of a lifetime. It could take you to the beach, park or the mountains, shopping or sightseeing, visiting pals or hanging with family. A vacation could get you one city away, it can whisk you halfway around the world or, as in the new book “Clean Getaway” by Nic Stone, a vacation can take you where you don’t want to be. Eleven-year-old William “Scoob” Lamar wondered when everything went bad. Was it after he got into a fight at school, or after he was wrongly accused of cheating? Yeah, he was wrong there on both counts but the bigger issue was that his Dad wasn’t acting like Dad lately, and he went punishmentoverboard. Scoob was grounded. Ugh, Scoob hated “lockdown.” So when G’ma called and asked if he wanted to take a “little adventure,” he scribbled a note, ditched his phone, and jumped at the chance. He loved G’ma. She was more like a friend than a grandmother, so when she said she sold her house to buy an RV, a “sweet ride” with all the plush, Scoob was sad. Sold her house? Okay, her decision. Scoob settled in for a quick trip. And then G’ma started talking. Fifty-one years ago, at the height of the Civil Rights movement, Scoob’s G’ma and G’pop wanted to take a trip from Atlanta to Mexico, but they didn’t get far. G’ma was white and G’pop was black and there were lots of places where they weren’t welcome. Because G’pop had died in prison and never had a chance to travel, G’ma, said she’d do the roadtrip in his memory. It was her “chance at redemption.” But a lot of things were off. As they tripped from Birmingham to Meridian to Jackson to Louisiana and Texas, Scoob was pretty sure they’d dined-anddashed more than once, and stolen some gas. The license plates on the RV kept changing and G’ma was avoiding phone calls. Then there was the “mistake” at the jewelry store. Scoob knew they were going to Mexico … but what was going on? For a kid who loves to travel, “Clean Getaway” is the book to pack. It’s got adventure in it, and a surprising amount of history and geography, so your child will learn something. The story flows nicely, author Nic Stone doesn’t force the action or the humor here, and her Scoob is a character that’s relatable to 8- to 12-year-olds who’ll enjoy watching him take on challenges while he takes this trip. For a kid, especially one spreading his wings, that could be role-model material. And yet, not all is perfect. The main irrita- tion here — the one that parents will want to know about — is that bathroom habits appear often in this book. Too often, like, more than twice and it’s absolutely nose-wrinkling TMI. Will your child notice that? Probably so, but will she care? Maybe not, if she’s enjoying the book enough. The best thing, perhaps, is to let him try “Clean Getaway” and see where it takes him. JOB OPPORTUNITIES Herd Co Feedlot ng the We rf b? Su is seeking an individual for the daily responsibilities of the Surf on over to www.missourivalleyshopper.com MV Shopper MV Shopper Liquid Waste Application Program. Duties include pump management, operation of equipment applicators, crew supervision, record keeping, daily maintenance and troubleshooting, communication and computer skills. Competitive wages and an excellent benefits package. Willing to train the right applicant. Phone 402-482-5931. Ask for Chad or Galen. Forward resumes to becki@herdco.net 1 In Print and Online! 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