PRESS RELEASE
JUNE 2, 2023
Florida School of the Arts presents “Moon Over Buffalo”
Florida School of the Arts presents the madcap comedy “Moon Over Buffalo” by Ken Ludwig June 15 – 18, Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the studio theater. Tickets are $10. Seating is limited.
With one last shot at stardom, two fading actors prepare to impress a talent scout arriving to see their onstage performance. Of course, everything that can go wrong does go wrong, and confusion and bad decisions run amuck.
The cast includes Reid Norris as George Hay, McKayla Whiteside as Charlotte Hay, Alexis Brown as Ethel,
Jordan Fletcher as Rosalind, Jacob Brown as Howard, Amanda Gazy as Eileen, Padraig Kinnare as Paul and Lamontiaz Slocumb as Richard.
Production includes Tim Castell, scenic design; Tiffany Jordan, costume and program design; and Victoria Sanders, lighting and sound design; Emily Schafer, production manager; Anna Guzman, assistant director/house manager; Todd Allen, stage manager; Kennedy Largin, light board operator; Tiffany Jordan, Emily Schafer, cutter/draper; and Shera Hebblewhite, first hand.
Costume construction crew: Alexis Brown, Anna Guzman, Shera Hebblewhite, Padraig Kinnare, and Maggie Rashaw.
Scenic construction crew: Jacob Brown, Shelby Brown, Madelyn Considine, Portia Dedman, Amanda Gazy, Kennedy Largin, and Josue Jorgé-Silva.
Props: Todd Allen and Terri Castelli.
With the retirement of longtime professor Patricia Crotty in April, a vacancy for the summer production was the perfect opportunity to bring in a guest artist to direct the show, according to FloArts Dean Emily Schaefer.
“FloArts has a long history of utilizing guest artists in both the visual and performing arts disciplines,” Schaefer said. “A guest artist provides students with a broader range of training and expertise in the study and execution of their craft. Erik DeCicco’s professional experience makes him uniquely qualified to direct the summer production.”
Erik DeCicco, chair of the Department of Theatre and Associate Director of the Honors Program at Jacksonville University, holds an MFA in acting from the University of Louisville, is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and has appeared on stage, television, and film.
“I’ve been honored to work with the students, faculty and staff on this stellar production,” DeCicco said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the students and their willingness to explore the comedy and style that Ken Ludwig so masterfully captures. Their performances are not to be missed! I’m also thrilled to share with audiences the thoughtful and exciting work of the production team, who have knocked the technical elements of this play out of the park.”
“At its heart, this play is a celebration of the theatre and the lives of the people who make and sustain the art form,” DeCicco continued. “As one character says in the play, ‘Theatre is our lifeline to humanity.’ “Moon Over Buffalo” wonderfully encapsulates these sentiments, and offers a glimpse into the traditions and people who sustain them.”
The play contains adult content. The FloArts box office opens one hour before the show. Studio theater seating opens 30 minutes before the performance time. Reservations are not available.
Florida School of the Arts is located on the Palatka campus of St. Johns River State College.
FloArts is part of the academic and administrative structure of SJR State and awards associate degrees in acting, dance performance, musical theater, stage management, theater technology, graphic design/new media and studio art. For more information, call (386) 312-4300 or visit https://www.sjrstate.edu/floarts.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Florida School of the Arts presents “Moon Over Buffalo” June 15-18 in the studio theater. From left McKayla Whiteside, Jacob Brown, Jordan Fletcher and Reid Norris.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Michelle Sjogren
Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Strategic Communications
(904) 276-6814
Susan Kessler
Director of Public Relations and Marketing
(386) 312-4021