News Release

Ohio Wesleyan to Stage 19th Century Comedy ‘Fashion!’

September 9, 2008

Students starring in Ohio Wesleyan University’s upcoming production of “Fashion!”: (left to right) Forrest Rilling ’11, as Mr. Tiffany; Will Pierce ’12, as Adam Trueman; and Joanna Van Sickle ’10, as Mrs. Tiffany.

Photo courtesy of Ohio Wesleyan University Department of Theatre & Dance

Click here for a high resolution version. (3823k JPG)

Joanna Van Sickle ’10 and Forrest Rilling ’11 will play the roles of Mrs. Tiffany and Mr. Tiffany, respectively, in the upcoming production of “Fashion!”

Photo courtesy of Ohio Wesleyan University Department of Theatre & Dance

Click here for a high resolution version. (2793k JPG)

Written in 1845 by Anna Cora Mowatt, the comedy follows the newly wealthy Mr. and Mrs. Tiffany and daughter, Seraphina, as they attempt to buy their way into the social “ee-light” of New York City with fashion advice from their French maid, Millinette. Honest country farmer Adam Trueman intervenes to return his old friends to simpler American virtues, but intrigue and tomfoolery persist in the meantime.

“Audiences can expect to experience a blend of ‘Project Runway’ and ‘Yankee Doodle’,” said Bonnie Milne Gardner, professor of theatre and dance and an alumna of the university, who will adapt and direct the performance. Among the students starring in the production are Joanna Van Sickle (Delaware, Ohio) as Mrs. Tiffany, Forrest Rilling (Bethesda, Md.) as Mr. Tiffany, Will Pierce (Park Ridge, Ill.) as Adam Trueman, and Tavish Miller (Columbus, Ohio) as Count Jolimaitre.

Ohio Wesleyan’s version of “Fashion!” will include more contemporary dialogue and grand runways for the show’s ballroom scene. Teresa Snider-Stein, a New York and regional theatre designer and a 1980 Ohio Wesleyan alumna, will create the costumes. Scenery will be designed by D. Glen Vanderbilt, professor of theatre and dance, and Ohio Wesleyan student Andrew Doll (Cleveland, Ohio) will design the lighting.

Kicking off with “Fashion!” on Oct. 3, Ohio Wesleyan’s Department of Theatre & Dance will dedicate its 2008-09 season to Robert R. Crosby, Ph.D., a 1939 graduate of the university and a former chair of the department, who passed away last year. To commemorate the occasion, a different theatre alumnus will perform the show’s opening prologue each night.

General admission for all of Ohio Wesleyan’s Theatre & Dance productions is $7, and admission for senior citizens and non-OWU students is $5. Admission is free for Ohio Wesleyan students. Call (740) 368-3855 for reservations or visit theatre.owu.edu for more details.

Ohio Wesleyan University is an undergraduate liberal arts college that transforms the lives of its students through a combination of rigorous academics, mentoring relationships, and real-world experiences. Featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” the private university’s 1,850 students come from 47 states and 50 countries. Visit www.owu.edu for more information.