FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 31, 2011
Contact: Janie Guyton Shields
(662) 329-7119
jshields@pa.muw.edu

MUW professors work with theater production in Jackson

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Two Mississippi University for Women professors are lending their talents to the production of “The 39 Steps,” a contemporary comedy being presented by New Stage Theatre in Jackson. The show will run through Sunday, Feb 6.

William “Peppy” Biddy, head of MUW’s Department of Music and Theatre, is directing the two-time Tony winner. David Carter, MUW assistant professor of theater, is the scenic designer for the production.

"It is great advertisement for The W to have the work of two of its faculty showcased in a professional theater setting,” said Biddy. "The work is instantly seen by a much larger audience across the state."

David Carter, added, "New Stage is the only non-profit professional theater company in the state of Mississippi and therefore a centerpiece of the state's artistic and cultural scene. The fact that both Peppy and myself have been asked several times to contribute as guest artists validates the fact that our department here at MUW continues to be at the forefront of Mississippi's theatrical community."

The comedy is about a man with a boring life who meets a woman with a thick accent who says she’s a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called “The 39 Steps” is hot on the man's trail.

Tickets are $25, with discounts for students, seniors and groups.

To purchase tickets online, go to www.newstatetheatre.com or by phone at (601) 948-3531.