May 26, 2004

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Pat O’Brien, (901) 333-4021 -- Kimberly Stark, (901) 333-4023/489-4771

SOUTHWEST TO PRODUCE "GOD'S FAVORITE" AT UNION AVENUE CAMPUS THEATER

A cast of four Southwest employees and five students will be featured in God's Favorite, Neil Simon's romp through the Old Testament. The play will take the stage at the Southwest Tennessee Community College Theater (Manassas and Union Avenue) on June 4, 5 and 6. Curtain time for Friday and Saturday is 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

God's Favorite is Neil Simon's comic take-off on the Biblical story of Job. The play is the free, end-of-the-academic year offering of the Southwest Fine Arts department. It is directed by Ron Gephart, associate professor, a familiar face on the stages at Playhouse on the Square and Theater Memphis, and a three-time recipient of the Ostrander award.

Actors include:

Rod Long, Middle College High School music and video production teacher, was featured in the College's productions of My Three Angels and Lysistrata.

Hannah J. Lacey, former Southwest student is currently a computer lab technician for the College.

Ron Gordon, Southwest Theater manager, is a frequent actor at Theater Memphis, Circuit Memphis and Germantown Community Theater among others. He is a recipient of one Ostrander award and a nominee for another.

Janell Grover, a Southwest freshman and cheerleader, is making her debut appearance at the Southwest Theater.

Maudie Wilson, a sophomore majoring in nursing, is making her Southwest Theater debut. Previous theater appearances include two productions at her church, Greater Deliverance Tabernacle Holiness Church.

Valadd McFadden, a freshman Speech and Drama major, played in Lysistrata at Southwest and appeared in local productions of The Piano and The Wiz, among others.

Tommy Slavings is making his first stage appearance. He is on academic scholarship and is active in Bridge Builders and Upward Bound. He has received offers to play football at colleges in Chicago and Texas.

Kersten Charles is a freshman and a Saluqi basketball trainer. This is his first stage appearance.