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JCC Uncommoners To Present ‘Paragon Springs’ Next Month

The Jamestown Community College Uncommoners will present their production of "Paragon Springs" at the Scharmann Theatre next month. Performances are set for: Friday, March 3; Saturday, March 4; Friday, March 10; and Saturday, March 11; all beginning at 8 p.m. A Sunday matinee is scheduled for March 5 at 2 p.m. Pictured above are cast members Jonathan Young and Skip Anderson.

Although their upcoming production was written nearly a century ago, the Jamestown Community College Uncommoners will attempt to offer a subtle commentary on current events next month.

The JCC theater group will perform its adaptation of Steven Dietz’ “Paragon Springs” over the first and second weekends of March at the college’s Scharmann Theatre — featuring eight JCC students and two local community members in a condensed and slightly modified version of the 1926 play.

“‘Paragon Springs’ was written by Steven Dietz, and it’s a re-working of a Henrik Ibsen play called ‘Enemy of the State’; which was written in 1882,” said Bob Schlick, artistic director. “Our own production is a re-working of the 1926 play, making it more current for the modern audience and with some added comedy that helps a lot.”

Schlick said the plot of the play centers around the town of Paragon Springs, home to mineral baths which act as a big tourist attraction for the town. In the play, it is discovered that the springs’ “healing waters” are contaminated with bacteria shortly before the coming tourist season, and the town’s foremost citizen crusader, Dr. Thomas Stockman, is determined to know the truth behind the tragedy.

“I picked ‘Paragon Springs’ as our spring production because I had read ‘Enemy of the State’ years ago and thought it was an interesting premise,” Schlick said. “The original ‘Paragon Springs’ script calls for 20 cast members, but we’ve managed to re-work the play with a smaller cast; which has actually made (the production) more manageable and a little fresher.

Cast members Kipp Reynolds and Whitney Poindexter are pictured. Submitted photos

“I’m excited about doing it and, although many people may not have heard of it, I think they will find themselves getting engaged in the plot, if they come, because it deals with what I think are issues that are quite relevant to the modern day.”

The production will feature JCC students: Alexa Anderson, Gordon Brooks, Will Gilroy, Courtney Nielsen, Whitney Poindexter, Alex Simmons and Johnathan Young, all of Jamestown; and Chloe Kilmartin of Mayville. Skip Anderson and JCC alumnus Kipp Reynolds are also in the cast.

Performances are set for: Friday, March 3; Saturday, March 4; Friday, March 10; and Saturday, March 11; all beginning at 8 p.m. A Sunday matinee is scheduled for March 5 at 2 p.m.

Admission prices are: $10 for premium seating, which constitutes the middle section of the theater; $7 for general seating; and $5 restricted view seating, which is positioned along the theatre walls. Senior citizens and Faculty Student Association cardholders will receive a $2 discount on tickets purchased in person.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, call the Scharmann Theatre box office at 338-1187 or visit campusstore.sunyjcc.edu.

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