SWOSU To Stage The Tailer of Gloucester Feb. 21 & 22

  • SWOSU To Stage The Tailer of Gloucester Feb. 21 & 22
    SWOSU To Stage The Tailer of Gloucester Feb. 21 & 22

Members of the Southwestern Oklahoma State University company of The Tailor of Gloucester are (front from left): Grant Anderson Crews, Okarche; Abby Darragh, El Reno; Hannah Detweiler, Weatherford; UriEl Fillippini, Shangri-La; Michael Flores, Edmond; Emily Gill, Lawton; Alex Hawkins, Mangum; Vi Kinsman, Weatherford; Braden Logan, Woodward; Savannah McCormick, Okarche; Lupita Mora, Marble Falls, TX; Payton Phillips, Shallowater, TX; Rodney Cole Pryor, Elk City; Isabella Smallwood, Oklahoma City; Ceirra Sorrells, Moore; Allee Thiessen, Cordell; Dr. Kelley Logan, Playwright; Jessica Salmans, Tech. Director/Designer; Steve Strickler, Director.

The world premiere of the stage adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s children’s story The Tailor of Gloucester by Dr. Kelley Logan will be presented this Friday and Saturday, February 21-22, on the Southwestern Oklahoma State University campus in Weatherford.

The SWOSU Department of Art, Communication and Theatre is presenting the story that recently went into the public domain and Jessica Salmans, assistant professor of theatre at SWOSU, approached Logan, chair of the SWOSU Language and Literature Department, about adapting the short story for the stage. Once the play was finished, Logan shared the script with SWOSU theatre students and faculty, and the department began working on the production at the beginning of the spring semester.

While the play is written as children’s theatre, it has much to offer every age group, according to director Steve Strickler, assistant professor of theatre. The themes of being kind to each other and helping in times of need are lessons all can learn through Simpkin the cat and the Rats and Mice.

“It is a delightful 30-minute production,” Strickler said.

Special performances for area schools begin Tuesday, February 18, and Strickler said almost 1,500 seats have been reserved for the school performances. Public performances in the SWOSU Hilltop Theatre will be on Friday, February 21, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, February 22, at 2 p.m.

Admission is free with a valid SWOSU I.D., $5 for adults and $3 for non-SWOSU students. The SWOSU Hilltop Theatre Box Office takes reservations Monday through Friday from 4-7 p.m. by calling 580.774.6046.