Excavating Mom

"Excavating Mom" by James Devita was performed in Scottsbluff, Nebraska at the Midwest Theatre on February 22 and 23, 2001. The cast included students ranging from grades 2nd to 11th. A few adults from the community were also cast in the show.

The Cast


Melissa Saito: Judith McKay
Kary Holliday: Mallory McKay
Owen: Joel Hungerford
Jean: Judy Cuthbertson
Allen: Michael Cuthbertson
Mrs. Boyd: Gina Cannon
Mrs. Helmsley: Julie Meister

The Dinosaurs


Triceratops/Tyrannosaurus Rex: Kathleen Bode
Stegosaurus: Forrest Selvey
Parasauralophus/Baby Megamaiasaur: Jennifer Garwood
Oviraptor 1: Russell Morgan
Oviraptor 2: Reid Schanaman
Dimetrodon: Sam Harvey
Meg, Dragonfly, Special Effects: Lindsey Bennett & David Owens
Pteranadon & Meg's tail: Gina Cannon

The Crew


Director: Susan Selvey
Production Stage Manager: Susan Selvey*
Set Design: Cindi Zuby
Costumes, Puppets & Prop Design: Lynette Maurice
Stage Manager/Tech Director: Megan Pohl
Technical Assistant: Jeff Catrell
Set Construction & Costume Assistants: Jennifer Garwood, Kary Holliday & Melissa Saito

*Special appearance courtesy of Actor's Equity Association.

Summary

"Excavating Mom" is about a paleontologist who is also a mother, and her teenage daughter. Judith (mom) hasn't seen Mallory (daughter) in 2-3 years, and when they meet again, things are awkward and they don't know how to act around each other. Time and time again, confrontations are made, both argue endlessly and blow up in anger and frustration.

But when Mallory enters a world of imagination and make-believe, she finds that she has opened up a gateway to the Megamaiasaurs! When she first returns, no one will believe her, but when she drags her mother along on her wild journey to the time of the dinosaurs (before people had even been invented!), both are in for the adventure of their lives!

Through the use of special effects, lighting and scenic design, we were able to transform the Midwest Theatre stage into a time long ago, sixty-five million years ago, to the time of the Megamaiasaurs. Dinosaurs were crawling everywhere, down the aisles, across the stage, flying from behind the set...it was amazing! Judith and Mallory rediscover their relationship as mother and daughter and become closer as their lives are threatened time and again. This play is short, but full of fun, laughter and mystery. It's a play that will be enjoyable for all ages!

"Excavating Mom" is produced by special arrangement with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY of Woodstock, Illinois.

(Pictures coming soon!)

Director's Notes

It is very rare that a show comes together with such love and excitement as the one you are about to see. With the brilliant designs by Cindi Zuby and Lynette Maurice, you are about to explore the wonderful world of family and dinosaurs. I was musing one day about the popularity of dinosaurs and Lynette said, "They are popular because dinosaurs cannot hurt you. Children can play with these ferocious animals and even though they are huge, they are now extinct..." And so I thought this is a wonderful metaphor for the show. As parents and children, we often do things that hurt one another and it takes a long time to heal the wounds. In this play, the struggle between Judith and Mallory to find their way back to each other is, at times, excruciating. However, they realize what it takes to care. If we treat one another with love and respect, we can find our way back from the dinosaurs. Enjoy the show!

For information on upcoming shows, call the Arts Center at (308) 632-2226. 1

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