Ferrum Theatre Arts will open its fall season tomorrow with a reprise of You Caught Me Dancing, a play written by Bernard Sabath. The show will feature Emily Blankenship-Tucker as Katy Leary, a family friend and faithful servant of Mark Twain. 

The play follows Leary as she looks back on her years with the Clemens family while selling their home after Twain’s death. 

“It’s the little details that make this play. The set, sheet music, pictures, props and sound effects are all a collaborated labor of love,” said Rebecca Crocker, theatre arts professor. 

With themes of hopefulness during times of uncertainty, You Caught Me Dancing captures the bittersweet moment between closing one chapter and opening another. Through Katy’s reflections, audiences are reminded of the courage it takes to step forward when the future is unclear. 

You Caught Me Dancing was directed by Rex Stephenson last season to highlight and showcase the talents of Blankenship-Tucker as she embodied 14 different characters throughout the play. 

“Some characters are more difficult to portray than others, but Mark Twain, I knew from the first read-through how I would try to mimic his inflections. Other characters, I feel like I know personally in some way,” Blankenship-Tucker said about her character development process. 

Audience members who attended last year’s performance have high hopes for the upcoming shows. 

“This was a beautiful performance. If you didn’t get a chance to see it last time, you need to catch it this time,” wrote Gage Shelton, an alumnus. 

Performances will run Fri., Aug. 22, at 7 p.m.; Sat., Aug. 23, at 7 p.m.; and Sun., Aug. 24, at 2 p.m. in the Rex Stephenson Theatre, located downstairs in Schoolfield Hall. Seating is limited, so attendees may reserve tickets early at www.ferrum.edu/theatre-tickets.

Guests are encouraged to share any mobility or dietary needs ahead of time so accommodation can be arranged.