Troy University News

September 28, 2004

Contact:
Tom Davis or Andy Ellis :
(334) 670-3196; tomdavis@troy.edu

Office of University Relations
253 Adams Administration
Troy, AL 36082
(334) 670-3196
(334) 670-3274 (fax)

Broadway actor to step in and keep The Guys in production at Troy University

    The phrase “The show must go on” is one of the oldest clichés of theater, but it has taken on new meaning for the Troy University Department of Speech and Theatre this week.
   After several months of work, the production of The Guys, a two-character play dealing with the aftermath of the events of Sept. 11, 2001 , was threatened by real-life tragedy. Chris Minton of Naples , Texas , the leading man, was forced to drop out of the production due to obligations with the National Guard.
   “Chris’ unit was activated to assist hurricane victims, so it became very clear last Wednesday he could not perform,” Adena Moree, director and associate professor of speech and theatre, said. “We were ready to shut down the show.”
   Shutting down appeared to be the only option, since the performances are scheduled for Oct. 7, 9 and 11 in the Trojan Center Theatre. But a Troy University alumnus who makes his living on the Broadway stage has agreed to pinch-hit for Minton, Moree said.
   “Dr. David Dye (a member of the department’s faculty) suggested C.J. Wilson for the part and he has agreed to do it,” Moree said. “He will get into town this week and we will begin rehearsing immediately.”
   Wilson, a member of the class of 1990 and a native of Fairhope, has acted in several Broadway shows and in several television dramas. His most recent stage role was that of the Earl of Douglas in the production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV at the Lincoln Center .
    Wilson has also appeared in guest roles in several TV series, including “Law and Order” and “Deadline,” as well as several television commercials. Much of his work is done on the New York stage, including roles in the off-Broadway hit Race and a supporting role in the 2001 revival of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man on Broadway.
   At TROY , Wilson was a member of the Pied Pipers and starred in several campus productions, including Oedipus the King, Brighton Beach Memoirs and She Stoops to Conquer.
   “This is a fabulous opportunity for our students,” Moree said. “The opportunity to work with a professional is great experience for them.”
   Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of Wilson ’s arrival is Georgia Mallory, a senior education and theatre major from Prattville , who will perform the other lead in the show. Mallory is a veteran of the Troy University stage, having appeared in such productions as You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, A Chorus Line and Antigone.
   “We selected the play for Georgia , so we’re relieved that all the work we’ve done will not be wasted,” Moree said.
   This play is based on a journalist’s personal experiences in the aftermath of Sept. 11. Creator Anne Nelson was faced with having to help a fire captain write eulogies for some of his men killed as a result of the terrorist attacks.
   Tickets are $5 for general admission and free for TROY students with a valid student I.D. They can be purchased at the Troy University Box Office or at the door on the night of the performance.
   For more information, contact the Troy University Box Office at (334) 670-3293, the Troy University Department of Speech and Theatre at (334) 670-3714, or visit www.tsutheatre.org.