PR2017 Oct 23

Theatre Tuscaloosa 9500 Old Greensboro Road #135 • Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35405 • PHONE 205.391.2277 • FAX 205.391.2329 • theatretusc.com

October 23, 2017

Contacts:

Adam Miller, Managing Director

205.391.2925/amiller@sheltonstate.edu

Harley Sabbagh, Media Contact

205.391.2277/hsabbagh@sheltonstate.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THEATRE TUSCALOOSA TEAMS UP WITH UA JOURNALISM AND CREATIVE MEDIA

TUSCALOOSA, AL – Theatre Tuscaloosa will team up with the University of Alabama Journalism and Creative Media Department (JCM) for the upcoming SecondStage production of Gabe McKinley’s CQ/CX, which is presented in partnership with The Arts Council at The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center November 1–5.

CQ/CX takes its cue from the real-life events that rocked The New York Times in the early 2000s when news of the Jayson Blair scandal broke. Faced with times of political upheaval, racial tensions, and the threat of technological change looming on the horizon, the field of journalism is forced to turn inward in this retrospective piece.

“It's not often that I get to mix a hobby with my 'day job,' but CQ/CX was a perfect chance to both act and examine the critical issues facing journalism in the 21st century,” says Will Nevin, Ph.D., an adjunct professor with U.A.’s JCM department. Nevin takes on the role of Junior in the play, a character modeled after the current publisher of The New York Times Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. “I look forward to performing with my theatre family and then discussing the issues in the play with my JCM colleagues after the show."

Nevin’s interest in CQ/CX is shared by a host of professors from the Journalism and Creative Media Department. Due to this common interest, each performance will be followed by a post-show discussion with one of these professors allowing audience members to reflect on the piece and the state of modern journalism.

The schedule of speakers includes Professor Meredith Cummings on November 1, Professor Tom Arenberg on November 2, Dr. Chris Roberts on November 3, both Dr. Jen Hoewe and Dr. Brett Sherrick on November 4, and Dr. George L. Daniels on November 5.

CQ/CX will be presented at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center November 1-5, 2017. Performances will be at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1 and Sunday, November 5; 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 2; and at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, November 3. Seating is general admission, and tickets are $8.00 each. The venue accommodates only seventy-five seats, so advance purchase is encouraged. Tickets and more information are available at www.theatretusc.com or at 205.391.2277.

###

Theatre Tuscaloosa is a 501c3 not-for-profit community theatre located on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College. Theatre Tuscaloosa has been enriching the greater Tuscaloosa community since 1971 through quality theatrical productions and educational outreach.