The Little Company, MSU’s touring children’s theatre, will present author Silas House’s “This is My Heart for You” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 through Nov. 16, and 2 p.m. Nov. 17 at The Lucille Caudill Little Theatre in Breckinridge Hall.
“This is My Heart for You” centers around a crisis of conscience that rocks the small Appalachian town of Troublesome. This causes a vivid cast of characters to examine their own beliefs, fears and prejudices during one hot and profound summer that will change them all.
Octavia Biggs, director of The Little Company, is the director for the production and said the nature of the show required her and her fellow cast and crew members to portray a story that creatively tackles some challenging and often uncomfortable societal issues.
“I want to offer a way to navigate difficult conversations while still respecting each other. So, educating and sharing the vocabulary needed to navigate those waters is crucial, and difficult,” Biggs said. “Breaking down barriers is tough, and a lot of times is not easy.”
Despite the show’s struggles and challenges, Biggs said that working through this process with this young, large cast proved to be a highlight for her as a director.
“I’ve been working with such a large group of people all working together to create a story that has an opportunity to offer voices to the voiceless,” she said. “I am surrounded by an amazing group of young people working on this show and that is why I love my job and love being a director. The opportunities to create work that is collaborative and cohesive.”
The Little Theatre Company has also been invited to perform "This is My Heart for You” at the South Eastern Theatre Conference (SETC) and the show will also be touring regional high schools during that time. Dr. Bernadette Barton, director of gender studies and professor of sociology at MSU, said she has been working with Biggs in the hopes of getting this production in front of a high school audience due to its themes and message.
“I believe performing it in high schools across our service region has the potential to sway some hearts and minds in those who hold bigoted attitudes about LGBT people and be a resource for gay youth,” Barton said.
In addition to patrons getting to see “This is My Heart for You,” Silas House, the playwright, a contributor to The New York Times and national best-selling novelist, will also be appearing multiple times on campus.
There will be a welcome reception from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Kentucky Folk Art Center, and he will be present for a talkback session with actors and crew members from “This is My Heart for You” at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12. There will be breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, before House delivers a keynote speech at 10 a.m. in Button Auditorium.
The show and the events surrounding the theatrical performance are funded by the Buckner and Sally S. Hinkle Endowment for Humanities, JustFundKY, The Little Company, The Hobbs Endowment for Equality, the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, the Caudill College for Arts and Humanities, and the Department of Art and Design.
Tickets are $11 for adults, $6 for seniors and non-MSU students, and free with ID to MSU students. Reservations are required for all productions and can be made by calling 606-783-2170 or via email at: mtdboxoffice@moreheadstate.edu.
For more information on MSU theatrical productions and the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance, visit http://www.moreheadstate.edu/mtd
