“Hi Professor Straley, I have some questions for you.”
“I have answers and a whole lot of bull.”
Cast members: Christian Truckenmiller, Joseph Michael Martinez, Emilio Sanchez, Stephanie McGlasson, Monica Sauseda, & Tommy Tribolet
This was my first encounter with AWC’s professor of theatre, Chip Straley, of whom I quickly found to be a colorful, outspoken maverick with an opinion on everything. Straley allows his students immense freedom as they re-write plays and direct shows for today’s audiences. He acknowledges that, “mistakes are going to happen, but the final product does not matter as much as the journey,” as students prepare for the Spring Theatre season presentations of “The Vagina Monologue,” and allegorical comedies “And the Winner Is,” and “Steambath.”
Straley’s favorite play is Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” Straley is a published poet and will have ten years with AWC this August.
“I love my job,” he says. He loves being left to his artistic ventures, is grateful for the friendly faculty and lives to teach his “usually” hard-working, kind and accepting students. “I cry at plays,” Straley admits; “I’m so tied up in the result of all their work.”
This semester the AWC Theatre will be filled with incredible people, powerful, raw messages and a feeling of time well spent.
Here is a schedule of the Spring Theatre Season:
And the Winner Is
Written by Mitch Album (author of “Tuesdays with Morrie) and directed by AWC Theatre student Steve Whiston.
Friday and Saturday’s: March 5, 6, 12, and 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday’s: March 7 and 14 at 2:30 p.m.
Steambath
Written by Bruce Jay Friedman and directed by Chip Straley.
Wednesday and Thursday, April 7 and 8, 7:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturdays, April 9, 10, 16, 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday’s; April 11 and 18 at 2:30 p.m..
The Vagina Monologues
Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Written by Eve Ensler and directed by AWC Theatre student Christian Truckenmiller.
While Eve Ensler refuses to let men take part in any aspect of “The Vagina Monolages’ Straley and Trunkenmiller feel she is wrong because men need to hear this message just as much as women do, if not more. Straley values the spotlight this show puts on women’s issues, but feels it is presented as a phony lesbian love story.
AWC Theatre does not charge for admission to our productions. We do ask for donations of $5.00, five articles of clean wearable clothing or five items of non-perishable food products. The money we keep to continue to bring quality theatre to the Yuma area; the clothing we donate to the Crossroads Mission; the food we donate to the Yuma Community Food Bank.
For more information contact Professor Straley at 344-7592.
