Jacksonville – “Faith”, by Maria Rokas, is a new play. In fact, MacMurray College has been chosen for the world premiere this Thursday, March 30th, as part of the “Arts ALIVE!” program. This special event packages together art, music and theatre including this latest effort by Ms. Rokas.

     An established playwright, her short plays have been produced throughout California and Europe since 2001.

     “Faith” is the English and Theatre Departments’ spring production and will be open to the general public March 31, April 1, 6, 7 and 8 in the Marian Chase Schaeffer Theatre.

     Threading together three couples’ stories who are in, or around a big field, Faith gives us a glimpse into different ways we, as people, survive as a result of faith. What is most interesting about this piece, to me as a director, is how the show presents different facets of faith and its impact on life. Running just over an hour with no intermission, the audience is treated to watching two misfit high-school whiz kids, two jaded research scientists, and a down-on-their-luck couple as they negotiate the fine line between faith and the unknown.

      Curtain time for all shows is 7:30pm. Tickets are $5.00 with free admission for both MacMurray and Illinois College Students with proper ID. Reservations for tickets should be made by calling 479-7208.

     The cast consists of all MacMurray students including: Laura Schuh (junior/Woodridge), Eric Fleury (freshman/Berkley MI), Thomas Pinkerton (freshman/Virden), Lauretta Davis (sophomore/St. Louis MO), Robbie Cook (junior/Stonington), and Tiffany Pitman (freshman/Greenfield).

      Ms. Rokas lives and works in San Francisco and has been profiled as one of the Bay Area’s up and coming playwrights. Her one act play, Lunchroom Alchemy, was produced in June 2005 by Teatro del Navile in Bologna, Italy, and will receive an encore production later this year. Ms. Rokas has been nominated for PlayGround’s 2003 fellowship and received their 2004 June Anne Baker prize, which included the commission of new full-length plays (Plans and Peccadilloes). Her plays, Breadcrumbs and Ho Ho Hell will be produced at the Actors Theatre of Santa Cruz’s Eight Tens @ Eight Festival and 13th Street Rep in New York in winter 2006, respectively.

     The Marian Chase Schaeffer Theatre is located on the second floor of the Jenkins Education Complex on the MacMurray College Campus.

     Located in Jacksonville, Ill., MacMurray College is a private, four-year, liberal arts, coeducational college, founded in 1846, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its friendly, informal environment stresses academic excellence, personal attention, career experience, and well-rounded development of each individual.