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Media Credit: Michaela Smith Junior theater major Justin Renner and junior art history major Lauren Vaughn sit across the table from each other as Joseph Cornell and Ballerina in a dress rehearsal of "Hotel Cassiopeia" Tuesday. Ballerina is describing the feeling she gets when she is onstage as a dancer.

Media Credit: Michaela Smith Justin Renner portraying Joseph Cornell

Media Credit: Mark Richter Video: Hotel Cassiopeia

"Hotel Cassiopeia" opened Wednesday evening to a sold-out crowd. Several people even lined up in an attempt to get a seat from the waiting list for this abstract play depicting the life ofsculptor Joseph Cornell.

The sold-out audience turned their heads to see actor Justin Renner, a junior theater major portraying Joseph Cornell, mounted by a chair on the wall (depicted left).

Each of the six other characters is a portrait of Cornell's thoughts and ideals.

Constance Johnson, a junior theater major, portrayed a sultry waitress, who depicts the sexual tension and desires of Cornell as the perfect woman. Andrew Todd, a senior theater major, was the astronomer, the sexual frustration of Cornell.



"I would not say I was the sex symbol of the play, because Constance is always exploding sexual attention," Todd said.

"I thought it was a fantastic evening. We had a great audience and the actors really pulled through, and we ended up with a really good product," said Christopher Berchild, assistant professor of theater and director of "Hotel Cassiopeia." The play will also be performed Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. in New Theater.

-Compiled by Heidi Staggs, freshman communication major

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