Introducing the cast of 'Fifth of July'
BY PHIL NARSH
STAFF WRITER
PSNSOOI @PSU.EDU
Holidays are a great time for
family and friends to get together
and have fun. However, the next
morning is usually a downer.
"Fifth of July" is a lot like that.
Written by playwright Lanford
Wilson in the late 70s, "Fifth"
takes place a day after the
Fourth of July in 1977, a year
after the bicentennial. Set in
rural Missouri, the play is one
of a trilogy of plays by Lanford
about the Talley family and
their friends, and focuses on the
disillusionment with America
after the Vietnam War.
Four friends had planned to be
The cast gathers with director Jim Johnson to discuss a scene
draft dodgers and run away to senior Media studies major.
Europe at the height of the war, He has appeared at various
but one was left behind. Many regional theaters in the Central
years later, all four are reunited at Pennsylvania area, including
Major spotlight: Communications
By MARIN ALICE
ASSISTANT EpITOR
MABS33B@PSU.EDU
The Penn State Harrisburg
Communications major combines
the study of media and the arts,
with actual application. Students
take a wide array of courses,
from public relations to film, to
journalism.
Students are required to take
courses studying the media, giving
them a foundation in the subject.
Classes like Nature ofMedia show
students the impact the media
has on daily life and culture.
Students must also take courses
that give them experience in
different types of media. News
the old Tally farmhouse.
Andrew Lehmann (Ken) is a
sophomore here at Penn State
Harrisburg, who you might have
seen in the Capital Players' first
Harrisburg's first productions:
"All I Really Need To Know
I Learned In Kindergarten,"
or heard him sing a song in
Godspell, the spring production.
Andrew plans on pursuing his
college days as a Theater major.
Andrew Soback (Jed) was in
a play once called "How To
Succeed In Business Without
Really Trying." Andy claims he
does not really know much about
plays, but says that he has some
hoi scenes in "Fifth" and hopes
the audience will enjoy them.
Philip Narsh (John) is a
writing classes offer students the
opportunity to practice writing
for print journalism or broadcast.
Video production classes teach
students how to film and edit their
own movies and commercials.
The major prepares students
for careers in any medium.
Careers in print journalism,
television, film, public relations
and advertising are just some
options that students have.
comunications students have
access to many different tools to
help them in their studies. A mac
lab in the basement of Olmstead,
as well as a photography lab and
access to filming equiptment
give students a professional
experience while still in college.
THE CAPITAL TIMES
The cast of "Fifth of July" has already begun rehersals
of their show.
Open Stage of Harrisburg, where
he performed in such shows
as "A Christmas Carol," "The
Diary of Anne Frank" and "The
Threepenny Opera." Narsh has
been in three independent films
and hopes to be in more and
more.
Sara Powers (Gwen) is a junior
and a marketing major who
discovered the Capitol Players
this semester. She was involved
in numerous plays in high school,
but this is the first time she's been
able to say so many swear words
on stage. Sara is more like her
character than she likes to admit.
Scary as that may be, she is still
very excited to be involved in
this production.
Nicole Styer (June) is freshman
Elementary education major
and wants to teach fifth grade
someday. She went to Donegal
2006 graduate, Kristen Poole
began freelancing graphic design
jobs for two years, and now is
a Traffic Manager at Cimbrian,
a graphic design company in
Lancaster.
"The classes that helped me the
most were the graphic design,
photography and advertising
ones." said Poole.
For students interested in graphic
designPoolehasafewsuggestions.
Networking .and internships
are the most important things
for a student looking to get
into advertising or graphic
design. Poole also said that
building a strong portfolio
will help. Poole did the layout
for the Capital Times, as well
High School where she was
involved in many shows,
including "The Little Shop of
Horrors" in which she played a
Ronnette.
Julie Dauber (Sally) is in her
third semester here at Penn State
Harrisburg. This is her first time
being on stage, although she
has been part of the drama club
since its beginning last fall. She
was a part of the crew for PSH's
productions of "Everything
I need to know I learned in
Kindergarten" and "Godspell."
She was also on the tech crew for
her high schools productions of
"Feiffer's People" and "Into the
Woods." She is very excited to be
involved in this production.
Layla Dideban (Shirley) is a
Communications major in her
senior year. She has been doing
theatre since she was 12 years
as helped to design
posters around campus.
She says that this experience
helped her prepare for the real
world by showing prospective
employers that she was able
to go above and beyond.
Only having a 4.0 GPA is not
good enough to get a job in a
competitive mrker anymore.
Employeers want to see that
you can go above and beyond
according to Poole.
Stacey Cleary, a 1993 graduate
of the program found a job
after graduation working as a
communications assistant at The
Easter Seals Society. Cleary
relied on the broad background
of media to help her write
Oct. 8 2008
old, and has been in musicals
such as "The Wizard of Oz,"
"Crazy for You" and "Fiddler on
the Roof." Layla has performed
in both of the previous Capital
Players productions, "Everything
I need to know I learned in
Kindergarten" and "Godspell."
Eric Stump (Weston) is an
English major in his senior year.
He has been working in theater
since middle school and was
very active in the drama club
at his high school, Schuylkill
Haven High. Eric has also
done a lot of work with the
Schuylkill County Acting
Guild, with such performances
as "Picnic" and "Gibbsville."
A talented musician as well as
actor, Eric will be playing the
guitar in "Fifth," but is perhaps
best known for his ability to play
the bagpipes.
The play has been entered in
the American College Theater
Festival (ACTF) sponsored by
the Kennedy Center. According
to Kennedy-Center.org, the
ACTF is a national theater
program involving 18,000
students from colleges and
universities nationwide which has
served as a catalyst in improving
the quality of college theater in
the United States.
Showdates are Nov. 13, 14,
15, 21 and 22 in the Olmsted
Auditorium.
Staff writer Phil Narsh is an actor
in the play "Fifth of July."
newsletters and design brochures
for the nonprofit.
Cleary's advice to current
students in the communications
major is to narrow down a field
of interest. "I wish someone
had told me to really narrow
down an industry that is
interesting. The degree gave me a
wonderful basis but I did not
understand the difference
between the non profit and private
industry." said Cleary.
Communication students who
choose to continue their education
can earn a masters degree in
Humanities from PSH. The
program is more interdisciplinary,
including philosophy, writing, art
and media theory.