GOSHEN — Goshen College’s 2012 Winter One Acts will feature a playful opera and a modern drama — each about the misconceptions of identity — directed by two December 2011 graduates.

The Goshen College Players will present “Haiku,” by Katherine Snodgrass and directed by Josh Hofer, and “La Serva Padrona (The Servant Turned Mistress),” by Giovanni Pergolesi and directed by Patrick Ressler, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and on Sunday (ASL interpreted) at 3 p.m. in Goshen College’s Umble Center.

Tickets cost $3 and are available through the Goshen College Welcome Center by calling 535-7566 or e-mailing welcomecenter@goshen.edu. Tickets are also available at the Umble Center Box Office an hour before the show

Snodgrass’ “Haiku” features Louise, a severely brain-injured girl who, at times, has intervals of being miraculously “normal.” Sometimes, she is so super-normal that she speaks in beautiful haiku poetry. Her mother has published the poems under her own name. When an older daughter visits, she refuses to believe that her sister Louise composed the extraordinary poems.

“The story kind of unravels itself in almost a mystery format, so it’s fairly dramatic,” Hofer said. “As the show goes along, there are flashbacks that give story background from the two daughters.”

Hofer said that in the relatively short 45-minute running time for “Haiku,” audience members “encounter so much about the three characters that it’s really quite interesting.”

“It’s really a fascinating story of relationships ...,” he said. “There’s a lot of depth in all three characters.”

“La Serva Padrona” is a one-act opera about a maid who schemes to marry her master. This comedic intermezzo by Pergolesi employs disguises, trickery and witty banter through recitative to tell the story of Uberto, Serpina and the mute page, Vespone.

“Both of these plays have their way of connecting to our ‘Strangers No More’ season in that the characters are trying hard to figure out the real identity of other characters,” said Doug Leichty Caskey, GC professor of theater. “Many questions and misconceptions about true identity are revealed along the way.”

“Haiku” will feature Jenna Grubaugh (GC class of 2010) as Nell, Josh Hofer (2011) as director, junior Vanessa Jones (Dolton, S.D.) as Billie, sophomore Sarah Lake-Rayburn (Champaign, Ill.) as Louise and junior Gwen Stephan (Goshen) as the stage manager.

“La Serva Padrona” will feature senior Aaron Kaufmann (Tiskilwa, Ill.) in his senior theater recital, as Uberto. The opera will also feature junior Brook Hostetter (Harrisonburg, Va.) as Serpina, senior Sarah Lerch (Spring Valley, N.Y.) as stage manager, Patrick Ressler (class of 2011) as director and senior Phil Weaver-Stoesz (Goshen) as Vespone. Senior Lisa Horst (Goshen) is the music director for the opera, overseeing junior Hannah Bartel (Iowa City, Iowa) on cello, sophomore Phillip Bontrager (Goshen) on viola, junior Ben Breckbill (Lincoln, Neb.) on harpsichord, senior Laura Krabill (Tiskilwa, Ill.) on violin and senior Elspeth Stalter (Iowa City, Iowa) on violin.

Liechty Caskey is the producer for the show and Assistant Professor of Theater Andrew Moeggenborg is the technical director. Other members of the production team for the Winter One Acts include: junior Hannah Bartel (Iowa City, Iowa) as photographer, senior Alisha Bender (Pittsburgh, Pa.) as house manager, senior Emma Brooks (Littleton, Colo.) as poster/program designer, Josh Hofer (Class of 2011) as light designer, junior Sam Jones (Goshen) as sound designer, senior Aaron Kaufmann (Tiskilwa, Ill.) as light designer and master electrician, senior Matt Lehman (Kidron, Ohio) as costume shop manager, senior Sarah Lerch (Spring Valley, N.Y.) as stage manager, senior Rebecca Lintz (Sylvania, Ohio) as ASL interpreter, senior Paul Manickam (Portland, Ore.) as set designer and set constructor, senior Jay Mast (Goshen) as house manager, junior Clare Maxwell (Winchester, Mass.) as hair and make-up designer, junior Saralyn Murray (Orrville, Ohio) as ASL interpreter, Sandy Slabaugh as production assistant, freshman Cody Steele (Albion, Ind.) as light board operator, junior Gwen Stephan (Goshen) as assistant stage manager, junior Marshal Watson (Goshen) as props manager, senior Phil Weaver-Stoesz (Goshen) as master carpenter and sophomore Natasha Weisenbeck (Clifton, Ill.) as costume designer.



Goshen News entertainment editor Scott Weisser contributed to this article.