Austin College theatre students will present the Alan Ball comedy Five Women Wearing the Same Dress Thursday through Saturday, March 30, 31, and April 1 in Ida Green Theatre of Ida Green Communication Center. Tickets will be available at the Box Office before each performance for $8 for the general public and free with a current Austin College ID.
The March 30 performance will be followed by a Talk Back with the cast and director. The March 31 show will be followed by a performance by the Austin College Improv Troupe.
Directed by senior Caroline Hodge of Carrollton, Texas, the action of the play occurs in an upstairs bedroom of a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate as the bridesmaids avoid attending the reception of a summer wedding during the early 1990s.
Hodge, a theatre and history major, said she chose this play to direct because she wanted to work with an ensemble of women, which this provides. “The play is about women finding common understanding, despite their differences,” she said. She explained that the five characters, all bridesmaids at the wedding and all dressed identically, are fairly stereotypical: a fundamentalist Christian, a socialite lesbian, a rebellious recent college graduate, the bad girl, and an unhappy housewife. “One character has a secret and the action evolves as the different personalities react to learning that,” the director said.
Members of the cast and production team are listed below along with their hometowns and their roles.
Kyle Andrle of Allen, Texas, Cast;
Alexandra “Alex” Baker-Livingston of Richardson, Texas, Cast;
Hannah Barry of Dallas, Texas, Assistant Stage Manager;
Marissa Brown of Grayslake, Illinois, Cast;
Bailey Carrell of San Antonio, Texas, Makeup Designer;
Jacob Dowell of Little Rock, Arkansas, Lighting Designer;
Harris Drake of Whitesboro, Texas, Cast;
Rebecca Franklin of Van Alstyne, Texas, Sound Designer;
Crystal Garcia of Houston, Texas, Cast;
Emma Grundy of Wichita Falls, Texas, Dramaturge;
Aurora Hadzic of Lubbock, Texas, Costume Designer;
Jenny Maique of Irving, Texas, Props Master;
Michael Megenhardt of Houston, Texas, Assistant Set Designer;
Zsuzsa Ratliff-Johnson of Denton, Texas, Assistant Stage Manager;
Audrey Rose of Round Rock, Texas, Cast;
Sierra Salser of Arlington, Texas, Assistant Costume Designer;
Marissa Wilkinson of Portland, Oregon, Stage Manager; and
Reid Zimmerman of Denton, Texas, Assistant Props Master.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.