Daily Egyptian Reporter 10

The Theater Department ended its four-month search for the final cast member of Arcadia Monday when Mike Redmer stepped forward and provided Woodstock, his pet box turtle of 17 years, for use in the production.

The Theater Department had contacted me before, but there was some miscommunication, said Redmer, a graduate student in zoology from Itasca. It didn’t really work out until I was contacted by a friend in the Theater Department and found out they were still without the turtle.

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Woodstock is adjusting to his new acting career well, said Pat Immel, the play’s scenic designer and a graduate student in lighting design and technical direction from Oshkosh, Wis.

He’s going to steal the show, Immel said. During practice, one of the actors set an apple on the desk (where the turtle will remain for the most performance). It looked about like a person trying to bite a basketball.

He would try to bite the apple, and it would just roll away. He just kept chasing it down until [Sarah Blackstone, the director of Arcadia] told someone to give him a bite.

Woodstock will symbolize the tie that binds centuries together in Arcadia. The play’s plot revolves around a love story set in both 1809 and present day.

Originally the crew of Arcadia was concerned that the turtle would walk off the desk, Immel said.

He’s walked to the edge of the desk a few times, stuck his neck out about three inches over the edge and then turned around and walked away, Immel said.

The cast and crew have adjusted well to the turtle’s presence on stage, and Blackstone said she is glad to have him aboard.

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After we found him and had him on stage the first night, I said, Now I know why (Tom) Stoppard (author of the play) put this tortoise in the play:Because they’re so cool, Blackstone said. We found the perfect turtle. It took awhile, but we found a fine young actor.

Arcadia is set to open at 8 p.m. Oct. 3 at McLeod Theater, located in the Communications Building.

Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for the general public. For more information call the Theater Department at 453-5741.