Doin' Time at the Alamo Photo Album

With their loved ones incarcerated in the prison across the street, the regular guests at the Alamo Motel finally unlock their real feelings for one another in Mary Hanes’ two-act comedy “Doin’ Time at the Alamo,” the first production of the 2015-16 season from the Coffeyville Community College Theatre Department.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15-17 in the Spencer / Rounds Performing Arts Center. There is no admission charge for the show, directed by Allen Twitchell, CCC theatre instructor.

Hanes, who died of ovarian cancer in August 2012 at the age of 59, received the New Voice in American Theatre Award for “Alamo” from the William Inge Theatre Festival in Independence. Hanes, a writer and producer for television and stage, teamed with her husband, Ken, to write, develop and/or produce network series such as “Make It or Break It,” “Hope Island,” “Dead Last,” “Eden,” “Doc” and John Waters’ Court TV series “’Til Death Do Us part.”

Set in Texas, “Doin’ Time at the Alamo” is the story of seven disparate people thrown together for this Fourth of July weekend visit to the prison. There’s more popping than fireworks this time around as secrets emerge and relationships erupt.

“When I read the script, I earmarked this as a play I’d like to bring to our stage,” Twitchell said of “Alamo.” “And, the roles fit our student actors almost to a tee this year. It’s eerie.”

The cast features Cory Conway, freshman from Towanda, as Glen Beaks, owner of the Alamo; Carol Hills, sophomore from Coffeyville, as Judith Bridges, a newcomer to the Alamo routine; Katherine Coleman, freshman from Clay Center, as Janet Cacaci, a sassy New Yorker planning to marry a mob boss; Ahrend Salas, sophomore from San Jose, Calif., as Joe Venezia, the stoic bodyguard assigned to “watch” Janet; Hannah Emberton, sophomore from Coffeyville, as Elizabeth Grant, a spinster who arrives with the shocking news that she’s marrying an inmate 50 years her junior; Elia Saucedo, freshman from Holton, as Melissa Woelffer (Mrs. W), who enjoys life with a husband behind bars; and Rachel Giacin, freshman from Ottawa, as Louanne Woelffer, who never beats her mother at rummy and has eyes for Joe.

Alexx Parsons, freshman from Wellington, is stage manager and will play the role of Elizabeth during the performance Oct. 17. Serving as costumer is Amanda Anschutz, freshman from Topeka. Ashton Janssen, freshman from Girard, is the understudy for Glen and Joe. Nick Schnoor, sophomore from Coffeyville, will assist with lights and sound, and Richard Hallett of Coffeyville provided set construction.