All aboard for “Bus Stop” at FSCC

All aboard for “Bus Stop” at FSCC

Fort Scott, Kan.—When a headstrong young rodeo cowboy, unfamiliar with the finer points of courtship, all but kidnaps an attractive nightclub singer intending to haul her back to his ranch in Montana and make her his bride, the last place he wanted to find himself was stuck in a bus stop outside Topeka waiting out a snow storm. But that’s exactly what happens to Bo Decker, the self-proclaimed “prize bronco-buster, steer-roper, and bull-dogger anywhere around,” in William Inge’s modern classic, “Bus Stop.” The FSCC Theatre Department, under the direction of new instructor Allen Twitchell, will present “Bus Stop,” at 7:30 pm October 5-7 at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. Admission will be free.
 

 “I wanted to fold our fall production into the Homecoming Week celebration, and I felt this play was a perfect fit because of its timeless subject matter—the pursuit of love—as well as its name recognition and the connection to our outstanding rodeo program,” Twitchell said. “It just seemed to be calling to me.”
 

Playing the role of Bo is sophomore Royce White, from Shawnee, while sophomore Stephanie Rice, from Fort Scott, plays Cherie, the unwilling object of Bo’s affection. Also in the ensemble cast are sophomore Jackie Neher, from Lamar, Missouri, as Grace, the savvy owner of the bus stop’s restaurant; freshman Hannah Casner, from Mound City, as Elma, a naïve young waitress; sophomore Jared Oshel, from Princeton, as Will Masters, the stern-but-fair sheriff; freshman Jesse Cooke, from Redfield, as Carl, the bus driver with an eye for Grace; freshman Sammy Jamison, from Pittsburg, as Virgil, Bo’s older, more wise-to-the-world sidekick; and Harold Hicks, FSCC English instructor, as Dr. Gerald Lyman, a former college professor conflicted by his attraction to alcohol and young girls.
 

 “Inge was masterful at representing the myriad of emotions and complications of the male-female relationship,” Twitchell said. “This play deals with a variety of romantic entanglements—Bo-Cherie, Carl-Grace, and Dr. Lyman-Elma—from the perfectly natural to the intentionally uncomfortable.”
 

Serving as understudies are freshman Payton Boswell, from Pittsburg; transfer Natalie Cable, from Dallas, Texas; sophomore Paulette Hays, from Perry; sophomore Kartis Leal, from Denver, Colorado; and freshman Peyton Quick, from Fort Scott.
 

The stage manager is sophomore Linda Shinkle, from Fredonia, with Leal serving as shop foreman and chief of the set crew. Also assisting with the production are freshman Katelynn Coe, from Linn Valley; freshman Ka’Si Gates, from Bronson; sophomore Ashley Lockwood from Fort Scott; sophomore Kaitlan Palmer, from Mulberry; and Abby Cooke, from Redfield.