CofC Theatre to Open Season with ‘Men on Boats,’ a True(ish) History Comedy

By: CofC Media

CofC Stages at the College of Charleston’s Department of Theatre and Dance opens its 2023-2024 season on October 4th with the play Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus. This season features eight compelling productions that each highlight the theme of “Expectations and Explorations”—challenging what we think we know as we discover the world around us, as well as ourselves.

Men on Boats takes us back to an actual 1869 expedition of the Colorado River, in which explorer John Wesley Powell led nine other men to “discover” the Grand Canyon. First produced in 2015, Men on Boats cleverly deconstructs the idea of discovery as we know it and invites audience members to reconsider the records of American history.

Written by Jaclyn Backhaus, Men on Boats premiered as part of Clubbed Thumb’s Summerworks Theatre Festival. Backhaus is a playwright and screenwriter best known for Men on Boats but is also the author of plays Out of Time, Wives, India Pale Ale, and You on the Moors Now. Much of her work examines peoples and cultures which are historically underrepresented.

The play’s inventive casting, as outlined by the playwright, allows for a cast of women, trans, and non-binary actors to portray Powell and his crew of white, cisgendered men, humorously re-examining the ownership that these groups have over our history.

The production is directed by guest artist Sharon Graci, co-founder and Artistic Director of PURE Theatre. Graci shares, “Men on Boats is a delightfully fresh piece of theatre. Featuring an incredibly talented cast, design team, and crew, it is guaranteed to be a charming, provocative, and satisfyingly funny show.”

The cast is led by Isabella Gardner in the role of John Wesley Powell, Natalie Holland as William Dunn, and LG Wylie as John Colton Sumner. The show’s designers include theatre majors Madison Berry (senior, scenic design), Alex Jones (junior, lighting design), and Savannah Blake (senior, costume design), as well as Department of Theatre and Dance staff member Miles Boinest (sound design) and Bea Lemaster (junior, assistant sound design). Junior theatre major Kylie Daisey is the assistant director, senior theatre major Nora Gore is the dramaturg, and sophomore theatre major Olivia Maness serves as the stage manager.

DETAILS: Performances of Men on Boats at the Chapel Theatre (172 Calhoun St.) are October 4-8 and October 10-13. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. on October 4-7 and 10-13, with 2:00 p.m. matinees on October 7 and 8.

Discounted season ticket packages are available for all eight CofC Stages productions. Individual tickets for Men on Boats are $25 for adults; $20 for seniors (60+), military/veteran, and youth under 18; and $12 for CofC students, faculty, and staff. Individual ticket prices for other shows in the CofC Stages season vary by show. Purchase season packages or individual tickets online at go.cofc.edu/cofcstages or contact the George Street Box Office by emailing gsbo@cofc.edu or calling (843) 953-4726.

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