MCC Theater’s ‘Hauntings’ opens virtually this weekend

McCook Community College's Theater Department will open its spring production of "Hauntings" this weekend. This will be a devised internet one-act production based on the art of Mid-Plains Community College Faculty Rick Johnson and Richard "Dik" Haneline.

The production will be available for on-demand streaming from https://www.showtix4u.com/events/MCCTheatre.

 The cost is $5 for general admission and $7 for families. Ticketing fees are additional. Tickets went on sale Monday. The production is available for viewing Friday through May 9.

Directed and devised by MCC Theater Instructor Mark Hardiman, the cast includes: MCC students Delaney Dewey, Chastity Samaniego, Shelby Wolff and community member performer and musician, Evie Caldwell, who also provides incidental music. Video editing is done by Heinzel Media.

According to Hardiman, the impetus for this collaboration between art and theatre began with a discussion he had with Johnson, both faculty at MCC.

"When we saw that the Art Instructor Showcase was this spring, it seemed a natural event to do," Hardiman said. "We were interested in seeing what happened as a response to the visual art was developed into a Zoom performance," says Hardiman.

The cast developed their own written responses to the photographs and paintings that inspired them most. These range from stories to poetry and collaborative wordplay.

"We chose Hauntings as the title because each of the images we chose, stuck with us, kind of like that bit of a song that plays in your mind on a loop," Hardiman said.

These "loops" were then transformed into text by the performers and director.

Evie Caldwell provides musical interludes that were also inspired by the visual art.

"Zoom performances have no set rules or boundaries," said Hardiman. "This gave us a clean-slate upon which to sketch and develop this brief work."

Dave Heinzel of Henizel Media took raw footage and developed it into the finished piece.

If you have questions please contact Mark Hardiman at hardimanm@mpcc.edu or call 308-345-8173.