Northeastern Illinois University

Stage Center Theatre

BUS STOP (Presented in April, 1999)
by William Inge
Graduate Student Director: Kevin Long
Director's Notes

A bus out of Kansas City is forced to stop because of a snow storm. Watch this wide assortment of traveler, stranded
in a Midwest diner, as their lives unfold in this romantic comedy.

In the middle of a howling snowstorm, a bus out of Kansas City pulls up at a cheerful roadside diner. All roads are blocked, and the weary travelers are going to have to hole up until morning.

Cherie, a nightclub chanteuse is the passenger with the most to worry about. She's been pursued, made love to, and finally kidnapped by a 21 year-old cowboy who has all the romantic notions of a headstrong bull. The belligerent cowboy is right behind her and ready to sling her over his shoulder and carry her back to Montana. Even as she's ducking out from under his clumsy, but confident, embraces, and screeching at him fiercely, Cherie pauses and says, "Somehow deep inside of me I got a funny feeling I'm gonna end up in Montana"

In counterpoint to the main romance, Grace, the proprietor of the café and Carl, the bus driver, find time to develop a friendship of their own; a middle-aged scholar comes to terms with himself; and a young girl who works in the café gets her own first taste of romance.

Source: Dramatists Play Service

CAST

Elma Duckworth........Jill Marie Soltysiak
Grace Hoylard........Janette Benton
Will Masters........Glen Frail
Cherie........Melissa Lawson
Dr. Gerald Lyman........Dr. Harold N. Hild
Carl........Bruce Urso
Virgil Blessing........Scott Berlin
Bo Decker........Bill Hyland

Production Staff
Stage Manager      Adam Rivera
Set/Light Designer   Robert G. Smith
Costume Designer   Tina Haglund
Technical Director   Robert G. Smith
Master Electrician   Tim Davis
Costume Mistress   Amy Cichon
Fight Choreographer   Jill Marie Soltysiak
Guitar Instructor   Glenn Frail
Public Relations Director   Michael Buino
Assistant Stage Manager   Mary Ruth Brzezicki
Box Office Manager   Damon Popovich, Antuanet Langworthy
House Manager   Lerone Fong
Sound Technician   Alice Zawradski
Light Board Operator   Adam Dowd
Sound Board Operator   Martin Khoshaba
Set Construction   Theatre Practicum Students
Running Crew   Veronica Davis
Program/Poster Design   Michael Buino

"You're a lovely young girl." [Harry Hild as Dr. Lyman and Jill Marie Soltysiak as Elma Duckworth]

"My name's Bo Decker and I'm the prize bronco-buster, 'n steer-roper, 'n bull-dogger, anywhere 'round." [Scott Berlin asVirgil, Bill Hyland as Bo, Janette Benton as Grace, and Jill Marie Soltysiak as Elma Duckworth]

"Just take my advice and don't meet him in Topeka or anywhere else." [Janette Benton as Grace, and Jill Marie Soltysiak as Elma Duckworth]

"Virge, I hate to sound like some pitiable weaklin' of a man but there's been times the last few months, I been so lonesome, I jest didn't know what t'do with m'self." [Scott Berlin as Virgil, Bill Hyland as Bo]

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