(April 10, 2008)

Contact: Marjorie Lyons Playhouse, 318-869-5242

"echoBoom" Opens at Marjorie Lyons Playhouse

SHREVEPORT, La. — Marjorie Lyons Playhouse at Centenary College of Louisiana announces its final spring production, "echoBOOM," to open April 10.

A modern re-telling of the Antigone story, "echoBOOM" uses the tragedy of a high school shooting to excavate the many factors in today's society that feed the violence of terrorism, not only from foreign sources but also in our own backyards. Controversial subject matter relevant to politics, religion, and justice ignite the echoing commentary on how we relate to our society through the media.

Brandy Austin directs Caitlin Parrish's script, which integrates the experiences of student-actors to create a personalized production. Nathan Wasson portrays Brody Greyson, "a boy born for poetry" and the shooter in the rampage, while Rachael Lee Magill takes on the role of Ash Greyson, who wants her brother to be remembered as one of the lives lost in the tragedy rather than as a terrorist. Even the people closest to her — her sister Callie (Joey Wooden) and her boyfriend Damian Walter (Scott Gibbs) — distance themselves from her cause as Damian's politician father, Edward Walter (Stephen Scarlato), capitalizes on the tragedy.

The media, constantly in pursuit of someone to blame, is fed by a student photographer, Fiona (Rachel Havird). The Chorus (Jacob Bates, Cameron Bradford, Lorna Dopson, David Fitzgibbons, Kari Kennon, and Carolyn Lucas) embodies the dead students, media, and the echoBOOM generation that begs questions beyond faith, questions that even the second coming of Jesus Christ (Destin Bass) cannot answer.

The Marjorie Lyons Playhouse cautions audiences to consider the controversial subject matter, adult language, and violence in this production; this material is not appropriate for children. The cast and crew take seriously the show's content and hope to provide a forum for community dialogue following each performance.

"echoBOOM" opens April 10 at 8pm and runs April 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. as well as April 13 at 2 p.m. Contact the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse Box Office at 318-869-5242 for ticket information.