News Releases

Owens Center for Fine and Performing Arts Presents ‘Earl the Vampire’ Student Production, April 13-21

Biting satire and rollicking comedy will engulf the Center for Fine and Performing Arts’ Mainstage Theatre as Owens Community College presents the student production of “Earl the Vampire”, April 13-21.

The first of several shows will occur at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 13 in the College’s Mainstage Theatre. Owens’ Toledo-area Campus is located on Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township.

“Owens Community College’s Center for Fine and Performing Arts is excited to present such a unique theatrical production, featuring the talents of so many Owens students,” said Eric Wallack, Owens Chair of Fine and Performing Arts. “‘Earl the Vampire’ is a funny, lighthearted show, and the talented student actors are sure to entertain community members of all ages.”

“Earl the Vampire” tells the story of Hampton a modern-day vampire who is tired of keeping his lifestyle secret. Against the wishes of his family, Hampton appears on television, contracts to write a book and heads up a movement to establish vampires as a recognized minority group in America. Lurking in the background is Lord Evido, a.k.a. Earl, an old fashioned vampire who knows the danger of destroying an age old myth. Written by Sean Michael Welch, “Earl the Vampire” has earned national acclaim as a play, highlighted by the John Cauble Short Play Award at the 1999 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

The cast of “Earl the Vampire” is comprised of students from Owens, the University of Toledo and the Toledo School for the Arts, as well as community members and Owens alumni. The College’s theatrical production is being directed by Owens Adjunct Faculty member Cynthia Stroud of Perrysburg.

Students and community members involved in the production are Turner Ferrara of Rossford as Earl (Owens student), Joshua Fruland of Perrysburg as Ethan (Owens student), Kari Duffy of Millbury as Shana (Owens student), Mary Wagner of Maumee as Christy Banks (community member), Chad Paben of Maumee as Hampton (Owens alumnus), Joshua Jastal of Toledo as Daniel (University of Toledo student), John Sweney of Perrysburg as Agent Vanruegen (Owens alumnus), Rebecca Doran of Toledo as Gretchen (Toledo School for the Arts student), Kyle Lewis of Toledo as Detective Bills (Owens student), William Toth of Toledo as Detective Sharp (Owens student), Bronwyn Rose Hazard of Toledo as Lucina (University of Toledo student), Christina Marie of Northwood as Tresa (Owens student), Bradley Ray of Delta as The Hunter (Owens student) and Tim Durbin of Toledo as Brady Lennox (Owens student). Henry Walling of Sylvania (Owens student) serves as the Stage Manager for “Earl the Vampire”, while Donald Rawlins of Toledo (Owens student) and Albertha Cockrell of Toledo (Owens student) are involved in set design and construction.

“Earl the Vampire” will be performed April 13-14 and 20-21 at 8 p.m. A matinee performance will also occur on Sunday, April 15 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for the general public and $8 for Owens students, employees and senior citizens. All seats are general admission. To purchase tickets, visit www.owens.edu or contact the College’s Box Office. For more information, call the Center for Fine and Performing Arts at (567) 661-2787 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. ARTS (2787).

Owens Community College is one of the fastest-growing higher educational institutions in Ohio. On the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, Owens serves more than 45,000 credit and non-credit students. Owens is committed to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability. Owens Community College offers baccalaureate transfer degrees in the Arts and Sciences and over 150 technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens students also can earn the first two years of a bachelor’s degree with a smooth transfer to any area four-year college or university.