Bus Stop

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Karen Saari

Alyssa Hannam (left) and Matt Reines in rehearsal for "Bus Stop."

Alyssa Hannam (left) and Matt Reines in rehearsal for "Bus Stop," Madison College Performing Arts, 2023.

If you’re looking for a play to see this December that has nothing to do with Christmas, Madison College can fix you right up. William Inge’s Bus Stop is, however, seasonally appropriate, as it’s about a group of strangers — passengers on a bus — stranded at a diner during a blizzard. Relationships, both comedic and romantic, spring up among the travelers and the diner employees. Shows are at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 7-8, 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 9, and 2 p.m. on Dec. 10.

media release:MADISON COLLEGE PERFORMING ARTS will present William Inge’s classic play “Bus Stop” in the Studio Theater, room A2031 of the Truax Campus, December 7-10.

The play, directed by Karen Saari, debuted on Broadway in 1955. This comedy is about a group of bus passengers stranded at a roadside diner during a blizzard. Among them are a young nightclub singer, her overzealous suitor—who happens to be a cowboy, his guardian and a troubled academic. 

“Bus Stop” was made into a film starring Marilyn Monroe in 1956. But the play and the movie are vastly different, as the film was more of a vehicle for bombshell Monroe. 

Themes of the comedy include loneliness, connection and moving on. 

Like the characters who are locals of the town, playwright William Inge was from a small town in Kansas. Inge was a contemporary of Tennessee Williams with hits including “Bus Stop,” “Come Back, Little Sheba,” “Picnic” and “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs.”

The cast includes four student actors and one student understudy: Leah Manicor as Cherie, Juan Gulrud as Bo, Brandon Aroonsavath as Will, Nellie Gonzalez as Elma and Violet Kennedy as understudy. The cast is rounded out by four local community actors: Alyssa Hannam, Matt Reines, Ethan Richard and Paul Lorentz. 

Students are filling critical technical roles in lighting design, sound design and costume design. They are also serving as assistant director, stage manager, assistant stage manager, hair and make-up and props assistants. 

The production is directed by playwright Karen Saari, who teaches communication and performing arts at Madison College. She was also a New Playlab Playwright at the 2022 William Inge Theater Festival, held in Inge’s hometown of Independence, Kansas.

Performances will take place in Studio Theater, located on the second floor of the Madison College Truax Campus (room A2031). The building address is 1701 Wright Street. 

There are just four performances, December 7-10, Thursday and Friday at 8:30 p.m., Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $16 general admission, with $13 tickets for youth and seniors. All performances are free to Madison College students with their OneCard. Go to madisoncollege.edu/busstop