Murder in the Cathedral cast members (from left to right) Esther DeMaggio, Katie Behrens and Rena Moove Click on image to download print-quality version
	Thistle (Rose of Lima) cast members (from left to right) Amanda Holston, Vanessa Kinzey and Chelsea Downes Click on image to download print-quality version

GRANTHAM, Pa. (March 31, 2006) — The Messiah College School of the Arts will stage a double bill of student theatre productions, “Murder in the Cathedral” and “Thistle (Rose of Lima),” on April 21-23 in Miller Auditorium in the Climenhaga Fine Arts Center on the college’s Grantham campus. Performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $8 and can be purchased in advance by calling the Messiah College ticket office at (717) 691-6036; tickets will also be sold at the door. A discussion will follow each performance to provide a forum for communication of themes and ideas presented in and connected to the play. At the April 22 performance, “Thistle (Rose of Lima)” playwright Erik Ehn will be present for the post-performance discussion.

About “Murder in the Cathedral”

Directed by senior theatre major, Rachael E. Sheffer, “Murder in the Cathedral” by T.S. Eliot presents the story of a personal struggle, a vile plot and a gruesome murder set in the twelfth century. The play begins with the return of Archbishop Thomas Becket to England after a self-imposed seven-year exile. He returns to reconcile with King Henry, but all is not well. The future occurrence of a heinous act lurks about the cathedral, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

About “Thistle (Rose of Lima)”

Directed by senior theatre and Spanish double major, Kirsten N. Brooks, “Thistle (Rose of Lima)” is one in a cycle of short pieces collectively entitled “The Saint Plays.” The pieces were written by recipient of the 2002 Alpert Award in the Arts, Erik Ehn. “Thistle (Rose of Lima)” is an imaginative, haunting and true story based on the factual testimony of Rufina Amaya Marquez, the sole survivor of a massacre that occurred in El Mozote, El Salvador in December 1981. The play connects the figure of St. Rose of Lima with this historical event.

About Messiah College

Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls more than 2,900 undergraduate students in 50 majors. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia