HFC to Present "Bug" Throughout June

The HFC Theatre Arts program’s presentation of “Bug” will finish its run the weekend of June 23-26. The two leads, Zach Ross and Samantha Kenbeek, have been nominated for the prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Auditions.

HFC will present “Bug” in the Adray Auditorium, located in the Grant U. MacKenzie Fine Arts Center (Building F) on the following dates:

• Thursday, June 16, at 8 p.m.;
• Friday, June 17, at 8 p.m.;
• Saturday, June 18, at 8 p.m.;
• Sunday, June 19, at 2 p.m.;
• Thursday, June 23, at 8 p.m.;
• Friday, June 24, at 8 p.m.;
• Saturday, June 25, at 8 p.m.; and
• Sunday, June 26, at 2 p.m.

“Bug” – a psychological horror story nominated for three Drama Desk Awards – is written by Tracy Letts, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. Dr. George Popovich, HFC director of Theatre and director of the Virtual Theatricality Lab (VTL), will direct the HFC production. The play debuted at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill, London, England on Sept. 20, 1996. Following its London run, the play made its American debut in Ithaca, NY, followed by the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C. in 2000.

Letts adapted “Bug” into a 2006 feature film directed by Oscar-winning Filmmaker William Friedkin (“The French Connection,” “The Exorcist”). “Bug” starred Michael Shannon (“Man of Steel”), Emmy winner Ashley Judd (“High Crimes”), Lynn Collins (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”), Brian O’Byrne (“Million Dollar Baby”) and Grammy winner Harry Connick, Jr. (“P.S. I Love You”). The majority of “Bug” occurs in a seedy hotel room where Agnes – a lonely waitress who’s addicted to cocaine – lives. Agnes is on the run from her violent ex-husband Jerry, who was just released from prison. One night, her friend R.C. introduces Agnes to Peter, a Gulf War veteran who may or may not be AWOL.

Agnes becomes involved with Peter, who is paranoid about the war in Iraq, UFOs, the Oklahoma City bombing, cult suicides and the American government conducting secret experiments on soldiers. To make matters worse, there’s a hidden bug infestation in her hotel room that has both Agnes and Peter dealing with scathing welts and festering sores, which Peter believes is the result of experiments conducted on him during his stay at an army hospital.

Their fears soon escalate into the realm of paranoia, conspiracy theories and twisted psychological motives. In fact, Peter eventually draws Agnes into his paranoid delusions. From there, the play chronicles her slow descent into madness under Peter’s influence.

HFC’s production of “Bug” will be a participating entry in the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) in New York City. Founded in 1969 by Roger L. Stevens, the founding chairman of the Kennedy Center, the KCACTF is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide and has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater throughout the United States (U.S.). Since then, the KCACTF has grown into a department, where artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment from KCACTF respondents.

During the June run of “Bug,” a KCACTF delegate will travel to HFC to judge the production. The entire production of “Bug” is also eligible to be named a regional winner and invited to the regional festival in January 2017.

HFC has been honored by the KCACTF before. HFC’s 2004 production of “The Tempest” was a regional winner and travelled to the University of Illinois. HFC productions of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Ruined,” “Macbeth,” “The Skriker” and the recently-wrapped “The Diviners” have been honored by the KCACTF.

“We are here to serve our theatre students, many of whom will be transferring to four-year BFA acting programs. When our students enter the real world of theatre, they will encounter a vast variety of plays from comedies to tragedies to musical theatre to edgy, controversial plays. We aim to expose our students to a variety of shows so they will be prepared to compete. The more variety an actor has, the more employable they are. We recently did a spate of comedies and light fare: ‘Fools,’ ‘The Good Doctor,’ ‘Hairspray’ and ‘A Christmas Story.’ ‘The Diviners’ and ‘Bug’ represent our foray into the dark side of theatre,” said Popovich.

Tickets are $15. To purchase tickets, go to http://theatre.hfcc.edu. For questions or further information about “Bug,” contact Popovich at 313-845-6478 or popovich@hfcc.edu.

Please note: “Bug” contains scenes of violence, and other adult content. No one under 18 admitted. For a complete content advisory, see: http://theatre.hfcc.edu/productions/2016/bug.

American College Theatre Festival
Irene Ryan Nominations

Detroit Metro Times
Staff Picks

Cast and Crew

BUG By Tracy Letts
Originally Produced Off-Broadway
By Scott Morfee, Amy Danis, and Mark Johannes
Produced By Special Arrangement with Dramatists Play Service

Thursday, Friday, Saturday June 16-18, 23-25 at 8pm; June 19 and 26 at 2pm

Director: Dr. George Popovich
Scenic Designer: Gerry Dzublinski
Lighting Designer: Gerard Dzublinski
Lighting Designer: David Koltuchnik
Costume Designer: Judith Fletcher
Sound Designer: George Popovich
Stage Manager: Michael Cochran

CAST
Agnes White: Samantha Rae Kenbeek
R.C.: Caitlin Castle
Peter Evans: Zach Ross
Jerry Goss: Alan Rezzonica
Dr. Sweet: Dustin Ceihach
Pizza Harris: Michael Cochran

Setting
Now. A motel on the outskirts of Oklahoma City.
There will be a 15-minute intermission.

Act 1
Scene 1: Later that Night
Scene 2: The Following Morning
Scene 3: Later That Night

Act 2
Scene 1: A Week Later
Scene 2: Later That Night
Scene 3: A Few minutes later

Act 3
Scene 1: A Week Later
Scene 2: Later that Night
Scene 3: A Few Minutes Later

Social Science, Arts and Fitness Division
Associate Dean: Cynthia Stiller
Academic Coordinators: Carol Sloan, Randall Knight
Administrative Assistants: Tom Berryman, Linda Prisza
Director of Theatre: Dr. George Popovich

Artistic Staff
Director: Dr. George Popovich
Scenic Designer: Gerry Dzublinski
Lighting Designer: David Koltunchik
Costume Designer: Judith Fletcher
Sound Designer: Dr. George Popovich
Properties Designers: Dr. George Popovich, Gerry Dzublinski
Blood, Lighting Effects, Pyrotechnic Designer: Dr. George Popovich
Agnes' Dialect Coach: Paul Meier

Production Staff
Stage Manager: Michael Cochran
Technical Director: Gerry Dzublinksi
Master Carpenter: Christopher Bremer
Carpenters: Gerry Dzublinski, Galal Abdullah, Anas Pasha,
Alan Rezzonica, Mike Ross, Ryan Mcllhiny, Cheyenne Rynicki Angie Lai
Scenic Artist: Judith Fletcher
Scenic Painters: Galal Abdullah, Anas Pacha, Ryan Mcllhiny
Cheyanne Rynicki, Mike Ross, Angie Lai
Master Electrician: David Koltunchik
Sound Engineer: Alan Contino
Props: George Popovich, Gerry Dzublinski
Costume Crew: Huda Alsebti
Poster and Program Design: Ashleigh Martin
Printing: HFC Graphics
Publicity: Dr. George Popovich, Gary Erwin, Kurt Krug
Michael Cochran, The Cast and Crew, HFC Graphics, Angie Lai
Electronic Box Office: Dr. George Popovich

Running Crew
Deck Captains: Mahmoud Hazime, Michael Cochran
Blood Wrangler: Mohammed Hazime
Pyrotechnician: Edwin Bawal
Sound Board Operator: Alan Contino
Light Board Operator: Edwin Bawal
Scenic Crew: The Cast
Props: The Cast

Box Office
House Managers: Christopher Bremer, Angie Lai
David Koltunchik, Gerry Dzublinski
Box Office Manager: Huda Alsebti
Ushers: HFC Theatre Volunteers
Special Thanks to : Steve Tolin, Chris Wylie
A Very Special Thanks to Ken Donovan and Ashleigh Martin, HFC Graphics.