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Communications

Guest artist named for C-SC’s annual Guest Artist Production
Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Related Links

Courtney Gains' Website

CANTON, MO - Culver-Stockton’s annual Guest Artist production will feature actor Courtney Gains this November in Tom Griffin’s The Boys Next Door. Gains’s body of work includes a variety of roles in films such as Children of the Corn, Sweet Home Alabama, and Back to the Future. In addition to his extensive film roles, Gains has starred in several guest-artist roles on sitcoms such as Seinfeld, My Name is Earl, and Monk.

"The Boys Next Door" tells the story of four mentally challenged men who live in a home together in New England. Their social worker, Jack, is becoming burned out with his job and his life. Two of the residents, Lucien P. Smith and Norman Bulansky, have severe handicaps; Barry Klemper is a brilliant schizophrenic who fantasizes that he is a professional golfer; and Arnold Wiggins, the ringleader, is a hyperactive, compulsive chatterer, who suffers from deep seated insecurities and a persecution complex.

Under direction of C-SC associate professor of theatre, Haidee Heaton, The Boys Next Door will run in the Alex Campbell Auditorium on Thursday and Saturday, November 12 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 15 at 2 p.m.

“We chose The Boys Next Door for our student actors and technicians. Not only is the play very funny, it is heart-breaking and heart-warming. It is a great play for advanced character study, meta-theatre style, and provides an excellent role for our guest artist. I think that working with our guest artist on this particular play will give our students a wonderful learning and production opportunity,” said Heaton.

Every year, the C-SC Fine Arts Department brings a guest artist to campus. It is an opportunity for students and faculty to experience theater with a professional actor/actress. Students are able to work with the actor on stage, behind the scenes, and in workshops and master classes, learning new techniques in the art and sharing first-hand experience of how the profession plays out on a day-to-day basis.

Culver-Stockton is the only school in the region to bring in a professional guest artist working in theater, television and/or film each year to work with students. Previous guest artists include Robert Costanzo (2008) of the film Mafiosa, Michael Brainard (2005) of TV’s All My Children, and Michael Boatman (2005) of the sitcom Spin City.

Ticket prices are Adults; $8, C-SC Students; $5, and non C-SC Students; $6. For more information or to reserve tickets, please contact Judy Garkie in the Fine Arts office at 573-288-6413 or by sending an email to finearts@culver.edu