Synopsis
This haunting musical, featuring a glorious folk and bluegrass-inspired score, tells the transcendent tale of a true American dreamer. In 1925, while chasing fame and fortune by turning a Kentucky cave into a tourist attraction, Floyd Collins himself becomes the attraction when he is trapped 55 feet underground.
Event Information
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February 23, 28-29 @ 7:30pm
February 24 @ 1:00pm & 7:30pm
March 1-2 @ 7:30pm
Morgan Theatre
Approx. run time: Act 1 - 70 minutes, Act 2 - 50 minutes, Total - 120 minutes
Special Thanks
Dr. Jane Irungu, Isaiah Jones, USU Production Services, Home Town Values
Dramaturgy Note
Utah State University’s Department of Theatre Arts would like to acknowledge the lack of credit given to enslaved Black men in the exploration and discovery of Mammoth Cave. In preparation for this production, our research shed light on this historical inaccuracy and the absence of this important component of the story in our musical. We invite our audience members to learn more about the contributions of the Black cavers and explorers in Southern Kentucky during this time by reading our dramaturgical information here in the program and the lobby of the Morgan Theatre.
Among the early guides of Mammoth Cave were enslaved Black cavers who discovered many of the passages of the cave that visitors access today. One important map that was used for decades was created by a man named Stephen Bishop, who was one of the most knowledgeable guides of Mammoth Cave. The map was recognized as Bishop's work, a rare instance of credit given to Black Guides.
These guides remained a part of Mammoth Cave until 1941 when the National Park Service took charge of the caves. With the creation of the National Park, none of the Black guides were hired back on as part of the guide staff, ending their long legacy as guides and disregarding the huge part they played in the history of Mammoth Cave. Many had to relocate because they had lost their land and their livelihood. So much of their history was erased and we would like to do our part in making sure their story is told alongside our story of Floyd Collins.
“It’s important to know the full story and unsaid accomplishments of people of color or other minorities that were put away,” said Jerry Bransford (descendent of one of the original Black cave guides and current guide of Mammoth Cave National Park). “It’s important for relatives to know that your ancestors were here and escorted kings, queens, and people of notoriety through the cave.”
Please view our dramturgy packet.
The Cast and Creative Team of Floyd Collins
| Name | Roll | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Hansen, 2026 | US Homer Collins | Actor |
| Ariana Whatcott (she/her), 2026 | Miss Jane | Actor |
| Brett Terrell (he/him), 2025 | Homer Collins | Actor |
| Brynn Francis (she/her), 2024 | Dr. Hazlett/ Wila/ Darryl/ Darla/ Hyrum | Actor |
| Dakota Sanches (he/him), 2027 | US H.T. Carmichael/ US Bee Doyle/ US Lee Collins/ US Ed Bishop/ US Jewell Estes | Actor |
| Es Barnes (they/she), 2027 | US Skeets Miller/ US Miss Jane | Actor |
| Ethan Shaw (he/him), 2025 | Ed Bishop/ Dialect Coach | Actor |
| Harmon Roy Jackson (he/him), 2024 | H.T. Carmichael/ Intimacy Director/ Fight Captain | Actor |
| Jonah Newton (he/him), 2026 | Lee Collins | Actor |
| Levi Hopkins (he/him), 2024 | Floyd Collins | Actor |
| Marin Robison (she/her), 2025 | Nellie Collins | Actor |
| Megan Christiansen (she/her), 2026 | US Cliff Roney/ US Dr. Hazlett/ US Twila/ US Wila/ US Thali | Actor |
| Mia Gatherum (she/her), 2025 | Cliff Roney/ Willa/ Marcie/ Samuel | Actor |
| Ryan Adams (he/him), 2025 | Skeets Miller | Actor |
| RyeLynn Blair (she/her), 2027 | Thalia, Paula, Candy | Actor |
| Timo Rasmussen (he/him), 2024 | Bee Doyle/ US Floyd Collins | Actor |
| Willoughby Staley (they/he/she), 2024 | Jewell Estes/ Dance Captain | Actor |
| Jason Spelbring | Director | Production Staff |
| Kelsey Koga | Asst. Director | Production Staff |
| Dallas Aksoy | Music Director | Production Staff |
| Brighton McDonald | Stage Manager | Production Staff |
| Alyssa Butler | Asst. Stage Manager | Production Staff |
| Ian Buchanan | Asst. Stage Manager | Production Staff |
| Matt Bodiker | Dramaturg | Production Staff |
| Stephanie White | Choreographer | Production Staff |
| Dennis Hassan | Costume Designer | Designer |
| Lydia Semler | Costume Shop Manager | Production Staff |
| Sydnee Burton | Asst. Costume Designer | Designer |
| Carter Lee | Lighting Designer | Designer |
| Mark Hulse | Sound Designer/ A1 | Production Staff |
| Eddie Myers | Multimedia Operations Specialist | Production Staff |
| Ricardo Laranja | Multimedia Specialist Lead | Production Staff |
| Jose Huerta-Borjas | Asst. Sound Designer | Designer |
| Jacob Clawson | Props Master | Designer |
| Ky Trupp | Scenic Designer/ Scenic Charge | Designer |
| William King | Asst. Scenic Designer | Designer |
| Joshua Legate | Projection Designer | Designer |
| Jason Spelbring | Marketing | Marketing |
| Emily Heap | Social Media Manager | Marketing |
| Emma Lovan | Social Media Fellow | Marketing |
| Brynne McMurray | Graphic Design | Marketing |
| Lucas ByBee | Photographer | Marketing |
| Marco Albaledejo | Deck | Run Crew |
| Kaito Davis | A2 | Run Crew |
| Ellyse Snow | Wardrobe Head | Run Crew |
| Tori Ludlow | Wardrobe Crew | Run Crew |
| Es Barnes | Wardrobe Crew | Run Crew |
| Rosalind Liechty | Wardrobe Cover | Run Crew |
| Mason Garcia | Light Board Op | Run Crew |
| Sienna Newberry | Sound Board Op | Run Crew |
| Carter Hulet | Projections Board Op | Run Crew |
| Richie Call | Interim Department Head | Faculty/Staff |
| Leslie Brott | Associate Dean, Head of Acting | Faculty/Staff |
| LuAnn Baker | Program Coordinator | Faculty/Staff |
| Amy Critchfield | Technical Director/ Production Manager | Faculty/Staff |
| Amanda Dawson | Dramaturgy Advision | Faculty/Staff |
| Dennis Hassan | Graduate Advisor | Faculty/Staff |
| Kelsey Koga | Prodution Stage Manager | Faculty/Staff |
| Joshua Legate | Interim Head of Tech and Design | Faculty/Staff |
| Michael Shipley | Dialect Advisor | Faculty/Staff |
| Kelin Gibbons | Guitar/Banjo | Band |
| John Maloy | Harmonica | Band |
| Amelia Guertler | Violin | Band |
| Nathan Guertler | Cello | Band |
| Emma Barker | Bass | Band |
| Rip Nolan | Bass (Feb. 28th) | Band |
| Dallas Aksoy | Piano/Keyboard | Band |
| Danny Hankins | Drumset/Percussion | Band |
| Willoughby Staley | On-stage Guitar | Band |