ERIE, PA- On October 31, Penn State Behrend opened its doors for one of two fall productions this season. Behrend decided to host a student-directed musical through the Behrend Theatre club, “Ride the Cyclone,” and a faculty-directed play through the Behrend’s Studio Theatre and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, “Hope Springs.” 

The play “Hope Springs” is written by Richard Conlon and is told in two parts. It is a tale that explores a group of troubled teens who are sent to a correctional facility on a remote island for behavioral modifications, which is a way for adults to abuse the teens. As some of the pupils on the island stage a rebellion after losing their friend at the hands of the facility, communication is lost between the world and the correctional facility. Two educational inspectors head to the island and find out more than they bargained for through the stories that the teens tell about the abuse they have received. 

While some audience members were confused about the ending of the play, which showed the characters on a boat pulling rocks out of their pockets, on whether or not the characters died at the end. Amanda Ross, a sophomore communication major at Behrend, said, “The ending was very unclear. While they had a clear vision for the larger themes and emotions of the final scenes, the vagueness of the actions shown undermined the stronger ideas present.”

But viewers cheered with joy at the acting skills of the cast during Curtin Bows, which was to a dark version of “Survivor (I Will Survive) by Destiny’s Child. The Behrend cast of “Hope Springs” have been working on the production since the beginning of September and were excited for audiences to see what they had been working on for months. 

Charlie Garner, a senior communication major and who played the principal in the show, said, “Hope Springs was great! The cast was spectacular, the story was interesting, and Dr. Cassano’s directing was wonderful as always!” Garner’s character was not seen as much on stage in the show due to Cassano’s interesting technique of having the character’s speech recorded as a promotion video for the correctional facility in the show, a much-loved moment for audience members. 

The cast of the show consisted of Jack McBride as Sam, Charlie Garner as The Principal, Molly Hellhake as The Inspector, Conrad Lloyd as The Assistant, Hadleigh Jae Bills as The Ringleader, Myracle Tennant as Pupil 1, Logan Boyle as Pupil 2, Kendal Smith as Pupil 3, Nadya Aboudoulaye as Pupil 4, Nate Showers as Pupil 5, Abby Batkiewicz as Pupil 7, Alec Finn as Pupil 7, Beau Hernandez as Pupil 8, Jennifer Baxter as Island Voice/Staff, Aizak DeHenaut as Island Voice/Staff, and Ace Moore as Island Voice/Staff. 

” Hope Springs” ran from October 31 to November 3 in upstairs Fasenmyer Hall located in the Otto Behrend Science Building.