WMU HOME > ABOUT WMU > WMU NEWS University Theatre stages story of hidden identity Oct. 21, 2004 KALAMAZOO--"Settling Sophia," a story of hidden identity, is set for seven performances Thursday, Oct. 28, through Saturday, Nov. 6, presented by the University Theatre at Western Michigan University. Performances of "Settling Sophia" are at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 28-30 and Nov. 4-6, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, in the Dalton Center Multimedia Room. Seating is by general admission. An opening night reception sponsored by Bacchus Wine & Spirits will take place after the Oct. 28 performance, and a post-show discussion with the director and cast is scheduled for Nov. 4. Settling Sophia tells the tale of Chelsea, whose parentage is a secret to no one but herself in the small North Carolina town of Sophia. One afternoon, when alone in her mother's home, Chelsea discovers a collection of letters written by a man she never dreamed could be her father. Accepting this as truth forces her to rethink her relationships, her childhood, and what she sees in the mirror. Playwright Cherryl Floyd-Miller arranges the action of "Settling Sophia" in the present and the future. "[The story] is rooted in the racial divide that has always characterized communities of the South," she writes. "If you lived in this town, your neighbors would know more about you than you know yourself." "Settling Sophia" is directed by Von Washington, professor of theatre. The cast includes seniors Cynthia Barker, Monica Ortega, Maria Shellenbarger, and Trevor Stefanick; juniors Hal Bates, Jr., Catherine Dildillian, Andre Harris, Jillian Kurtz, Kevin O'Callaghan, and Julia Willis; sophomore Kristin Greer; and graduate student CaSaundra Flagg. The designers include students Beth Fausell, costumes; Palmer Jankens, sound; Rachel Konieczny, lighting; and Kristen Carrier, scenery. Tickets for "Settling Sophia" may be purchased by visiting or calling the University Theatre Ticket Office weekdays between noon and 5 p.m. The phone number is (269) 387-6222. Tickets are $16. Senior citizens and WMU employees and students receive discounts on tickets to University Theatre productions. The 2004-05 University Theatre season is made possible through a partnership with Millennium Restaurant Group. Media contact: Patrick Donnelly, 269 387-6222, patrick.donnelly@wmich.edu WMU News Office of University Relations Western Michigan University 1903 W Michigan Ave Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA 269 387-8400 www.wmich.edu/wmu/news