Gabby D'Arcangelo prepares for Northwest's fall musical

2011 Sep 14

Northwest Mississippi Community College student, Gabby D'Arcangelo of Southaven, is preparing for the fall musical, "Smoke on the Mountain," according to play director and speech and theatre instructor, Sadie Shannon.

The musical is set in the 1940s at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in North Carolina, where Reverend Mervin Oglethorpe is giving his last service. The gospel-singing Sanders family sends Mervin and his wife off in style. The musical features gospel classics.

"Smoke on the Mountain," conceived by Alan Bailey and written by Connie Ray, is a magnificent blend of story and song.

Katie Hardeman, a sophomore theatre major, will star as Vera, mother of the Sanders family. Hardeman was last seen on the Northwest stage as Amanda Wingfield in "The Glass Menagerie."

Sophomore theatre major Kevar Maffitt will play Burl, father of the Sanders family. Maffitt played the title character in Northwest's "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" last fall.

Abigail Wiggins, a sophomore theatre major, will portray June, the eldest child of the family known for her sign language. Sophomore theatre major Joseph Kelly will play twin Dennis, while Camille Bishop, a freshman theatre major, will play twin Denise.

Dalton Russell, a sophomore theatre major, will play Stanley, uncle of the Sanders family. Russell is remembered for his portrayal of Schroeder in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." Freshman theatre major Hayden Montgomery will star as Mervin, also know as Pastor Oglethorpe.

Traditionally Miss Maude and Mr. Myrtle are not seen in the play but addressed and talked to through the fourth wall. However, Shannon added actors to these nonspeaking roles for comedic value.

Miss Maude will be portrayed by sophomore general college major Ashley Strawn, and Mr. Myrlt will be played by sophomore theatre major Garrett Atkinson.

Gabby D'arcangelo, a sophomore theatre major, will serve as stage manager. Assistant stage managers will be freshman theatre major Bailey Mothershed and sophomore theatre major Nicholas Temple.

Performance dates for the musical are Wednesday, Oct. 26, Thursday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Senatobia campus. Tickets prices are $5 for students and seniors and $10 for the general public.

For more information, contact Shannon at (662) 562-3329 or e-mail sshannon@northwestms.edu.

Pictured: Northwest Mississippi Community College students (front, l-r) Nicholas Temple of Olive Branch, Camille Bishop of Orlando, Fla., Hayden Montgomery of Oxford, Katie Hardeman of Hernando, Gabby D'arcangelo of Southaven, (back row) Abigail Wiggins of Senatobia, Kevar Maffitt of Olive Branch, Joseph Kelly of Oxford and Dalton Russell of Bruce prepare for the upcoming fall musical, "Smoke on the Mountain." (Photo by Justin Ford)