Theatre Student Presents Original Plays

Fairmont State theatre student Steve McElroy of Fairmont is planning to present another performance of his original office comedy, "Stuck Here with You," which debuted last spring at FS. This year, the play will be accompanied by its never-before-seen sequel, "Stuck Here With You 2: Holiday Boogaloo."

"Stuck Here with You" and "Stuck Here with You 2" will be performed together, with a 10-minute intermission, at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, and at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 5, on the stage of the Studio Theatre in Wallman Hall, Room 314. Admission is free and open to the public

"The two plays are stylized comedies, which pay homage to the lost art of the American situational comedy," McElroy said. "It's sort of like a sitcom for the stage. I wanted to write something that would appeal to a general audience, without getting lost in some political and/or philosophical underlying message. It's basically, theatre for people who hate theatre. I wanted to write a show where the audience can come and enjoy it without having to do all that thinking."

"Stuck Here with You" is a comedy about what happens when six office workers must put aside their feelings for one another and pull together to survive being locked in their office over Labor Day weekend. "Stuck Here with You 2: Holiday Boogaloo" finds the same cast trying to save their jobs by throwing a Christmas party for the "Toys for Orphans Fund" in order to make up for lost revenue in a charitable tax write-off. Unfortunately, owing to a mix-up, the $25,000 check that was supposed to be used to fund the party is spent on a timeshare. Now the workers must again come together to work out a way to throw a $25,000 Christmas party for under $25.

The actors are Ronnie Thompson of Mingo County, W.Va., as Craig; Jonna Skidmore of Braxton County, W.Va., as Sharon; Jason Roach of Fairview as Hal; Lauren Zirk of Martinsburg, W.Va., as Heidi; and Jessica Jirak-McGinn of Salem as Ashley. Playing orphans in "Stuck Here with You 2" are Sarah Grumblatt, Melissa Testa, Stephanie Zorio and Lisa Respole.

Newcomers to the production include Director Jason Young, whose directing credits include "Talking With" and "Godspell." Josh Brooks of Fairmont plays Kyle, and veteran actor John Fallon of Fairmont plays Mr. Blackwell. Fallon was most recently seen as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Fairmont State Masquers production of "A Christmas Carol."