(Posted November 9, 2009)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Combining language, movement and dance, Juniata College debuts a new work, "The Corduroy Prayer," an exploration of human nature set in four parallel universes, at 7:30 p.m., running Thursday, Nov. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 22 in the von Liebig Theatre in the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts on the Juniata campus.

Tickets for the play are $7 for adults and $4 for students. To inquire about tickets and other information, please call (814) 641-3000)

The play is written and choreographed by Stephanie Skura, associate artistic director for The Gravity Project, Juniata's professional theatre ensemble. She also runs her own dance company and has toured in 27 of the United States and 13 countries at major festivals in Zurich, Vienna, Lisbon, Budapest and Canada. Skura has received seven choreography fellowships and five Dance Company Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.

"The Corduroy Prayer" is based on 12 classic "dramatic situations: supplication, enigma, fatal imprudence, crimes of love, remorse, erroneous judgment, madness, conflict with a God, daring enterprise and "an enemy loved." A cast of nine Juniata students will create set pieces acting out each situation in competing and parallel realities.

The dances in the play function as set changes, each scene beginning with a dance that introduces a different environment. The von Liebig Theater's extraordinary central window framing the night functions as the centerpiece of the set.

Juniata students performing in the play are: Ben Mahan, a freshman from Havertown, Pa.; Suzanne Makosky, a sophomore from Greensburg, Pa.; Kevin Whitmire, a sophomore from Enola, Pa.; Nate Frieswyck, a sophomore from Bel Air, Md.; Marci Chamberlain, a senior from Williamsburg, Pa.; Brenna Fredrickson, a sophomore from Fairfax Station, Va.; Andrew Orsie, a sophomore from Summit Point, W.Va.; Sara Deppenbrook, a freshman from Beaver Falls, Pa.; and Kaetlyn Kuchta, a freshman from Shickshinny, Pa.

Vanessa DeWolf is the production's dramaturge and costume facilitator.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.