Elmira College Theatre Season Continues with Lively Production of 'Men on Boats'

Elmira, NY (11/26/2018) — Elmira College Theatre continues its 2018-2019 season with Jaclyn Backhaus's, Men on Boats. Performances are scheduled December 6, 7 and 8 at 8:00 p.m., with a matinee December 9 at 2:00 p.m. in Watson Arena at Elmira College.

Ten explorers. Four boats. One Grand Canyon. Men on Boats is based upon the journal entries of a one-armed soldier, adventurer and explorer, Major John Wesley Powell, who, along with various other men in boats under his 1869 command, traversed the Colorado River through what we now call the Grand Canyon. Except, in this instance, the men are all played by women, and no boats are ever to be seen.

Variety called Men on Boats "…off-the-canyon-walls funny…" while New York Magazine dubbed the work "marvelously destabilizing both as history and theater. The stalwartness and selfishness of the adventurers - their cockiness and cluelessness - become biting satire when sent up by women." And the New York Times called "Men on Boats…[a] rollicking history pageant…Men on Boats makes canny use of the obvious distance between performers and their roles to help bridge the distance between then and now…The tone is comic, but never cute or camp. And ultimately, you feel, the play respects its bold if fallible pioneers, in all their natural bravery and fearfulness."

The Elmira College Theatre production of Men on Boats features Stephanie Krom as John Wesley Powell, leader of the expedition; Sadie Kennett as William Dunn, hunter and trapper; Ally Poppiti as John Colton Sumner, a former soldier; Avery Yeates as Old Shady, Powell's older brother; Yamille Moss as Bradley, a young lieutenant; Julissa Garcia as O.G. Howland, printer and hunter; Janice Teeter as Seneca Howland, O.G.'s younger brother; Lauren Scarborough as Frank Goodman, So British; Breana Millard as Hall, mapmaker; Emma Faunce as Hawkins, the cook and Powell's older brother.

The production is under the direction of John J. Kelly, with scenic and lighting design by George de Falussy. Scott McGuire serves as Technical Director, with Stage Management by Michael Gerth, assisted by Catherine Smugereski.

All Elmira College Theatre productions are free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances begin at 8:00 p.m., with matinees at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.

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