JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — When Adam Hughes first stepped onto the stage at Scharmann Theatre in 2002, he was a student learning the craft of live theater. This March, he returns to the SUNY Jamestown Community College venue as a director.
Hughes, a JCC graduate and longtime local performer, is leading the JCC Uncommoners’ production of “Biloxi Blues.” Performances are set for March 13-15 and 19-21 at the Jamestown Campus Scharmann Theatre.
For Hughes, the production has long been a favorite.
“It’s a comedy story I’ve always been attracted to,” he said.
So much so that Hughes pushed for “Biloxi Blues” when discussing options with Mark Sasse, producer and JCC arts program administrator.
“He just jumped at the opportunity,” Sasse said.
Written by Neil Simon, the production offers much more than laughs.
“Neil Simon is a fantastic playwright who writes great comedies,” Hughes said. “But this is a great comedy in the sense that it’s not like a slapstick comedy that tries to be funny. It’s a comedy that has funny situations, but it also deals with very heavy themes.”
Those themes include war, abuse, and bigotry. The story follows young Army recruits during World War II as they go through basic training in Mississippi. The humor grows out of their daily lives, but the play also explores deeper struggles.
“Lots of heavier themes you wouldn’t normally see in any traditional comedy, but it all just kind of fits because it’s a very human story,” Hughes said. “It’s also heartbreaking. It’s got a little bit of everything for the audience. It’s a very human show.”
The play won the Tony Award for best play in 1986 and was later made into a film. While it may not be as widely known as some other titles, Hughes believes audiences will connect with it.
“It’s not a show everybody knows, but it’ll be one that you never forget,” Hughes said. “I think that anybody that comes to see it is going to laugh. They’re going to cry. It’s got everything.”
A Chautauqua County native, Hughes has performed in dozens of local productions and appeared in 11 shows at JCC. He has directed productions at local theaters, including “Little Women,” “The Outsiders,” and “12 Angry Men.”
Returning to Scharmann Theatre as a director feels meaningful.
“It’s kind of an awesome full circle moment to actually come back and being able to direct here,” he said.
The cast includes both JCC students and community members. The production is student-run, giving students hands-on experience on stage and behind the scenes.
The set will help bring the story to life. One side of the stage will feature a full barrack. On the other side, a rotating set will shift between the latrine and a bedroom used in key scenes. The opening scene will show a train ride to Biloxi.
“Our goal is to build the outside of the train to give it a little more realistic look to it,” Sasse said. “Things are going to flow really well. It’s not going to stop and slow down.”
Echoing Hughes, Sasse said he likes that the play offers a strong mix of humor and heart.
“It’s like a coming-of-age story,” he said. “People can relate to the trials that someone goes through and learning through life experiences. And then it has a lot of really funny parts with it has a lot of heart to it as well.”
The cast includes JCC students Kenneth Marsh (playing Roy Selridge), Elijah Meyer (Joseph Wykowski), Noah Benjamin (Don Carney), and Sunnhi Suber (Daisy Hannigan): alumni Jared Pierce (Eugene Morris Jerome) and Jason Sample (Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey); and community members Tristan Howells (Arnold Epstein) and Jon Thompson (James Hennesey); Student Rachel LeRoy and community member Ashley Farnham play Rowena.
The crew includes JCC students Summer Jones (stage manager), Jayla Klein (lighting technician), and Landen Cramer (sound technician). The stagehand is Sebastian Tilaro. Sasse, Cramer, Tilaro, Klein, and Aubrey MacDonald comprise the set construction team. MacDonald is also a sound technician.
Performances are scheduled for March 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on March 15. Tickets are $20 when ordered online at sunyjcc.edu/ScharmannTheatre and $22 at the box office. JCC students can attend for free with their current student ID.
Email ScharmannTheatre@sunyjcc.edu for more information.