Theatre Department to Stage ‘Gruesome Playground Injuries’

BETHANY, W.Va. – The Bethany College Theatre Department will return to the stage this weekend with a production of Rajiv Joseph’s “Gruesome Playground Injuries.”

Described as darkly comic, “Gruesome Playground Injuries” follows Doug and Kayleen from their meeting as 8-year-olds in the school nurse’s office through 30 years of navigating friendship, love, and “the squishy parts in between.”

Junior Yasmeene Henderson and sophomore Aidan Morgan star in the Bethany production at 8 p.m. April 23-25 and 2 p.m. April 24 in Wailes Theatre, located in Steinman Hall on the Bethany College campus. Click here for photos from the dress rehearsal.

“Gruesome Playground Injuries” is told through a series of nonlinear vignettes and is presented without an intermission.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. The final performance will be available for live stream via Broadway on Demand at a cost of $3 per screen. Click here for streaming.

All Bethany College COVID-19 health and safety protocols must be followed, including social distancing and face coverings.

Theatre professor Evan Oslund directs with senior Tatum Dyar as assistant director.

Oslund calls the production “deliberately small” to adhere to COVID-19 policies.

“I knew that I wanted to highlight the theatre majors,” Olsund said. “The two students we have can really feast on the production and have it be about them.”

Hunter Helms is the makeup director, with Olivia Zinn on costumes. Keith Hardt is stage manager.

Sidney Felouzis, Maite Rosende, Will Sarver, Anthony Taylor, Summer Whelan, and Drew Von Scio comprise the tech crew.

Because of dialogue and subject matter, “Gruesome Playground Injuries” is for mature audiences.

For additional information, contact Oslund at theatre@bethanywv.edu.

ABOUT BETHANY COLLEGE

Bethany College, founded in 1840, is the oldest private college in West Virginia. The Bethany experience focuses on academic excellence in the area of liberal arts and prepares students for a lifetime of work and a life of significance.