November 4, 2025 - Hendrix Players will present four performances of “Rose and the Rime” by
Nathan Allen, Chris Matthews, and Jake Minton, November 12-14 at 7:30 p.m. and
a Saturday matinee on November 15 at 2 p.m. in Cabe Theatre. Admission is free
for the public, but reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made at https://bit.ly/ROSEANDTHERIMETIX. This production is suitable for ages 8 and up.
The run time is approximately 80 minutes with no intermission.
“Rose
and the Rime” is directed by Memphis-based artist/educator John J. Yorke, this
year’s Hendrix-Murphy Visiting Theatre Director. Currently Yorke is Associate
Professor of Teaching and Graduate Studies Coordinator in the Department of
Theatre and Dance at the University of Memphis.
“It
has been a delight to see how much our students have grown by working with
John,” said Professor Antonio Horne, Theatre Arts and Dance Department Chair
and Professor of Theatre Arts and Dance. “He does a great job of engaging them
in creative problem-solving, physical storytelling, and ensemble building.”
Originally
from Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, Yorke earned a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Juniata
College and then later went on to get his M.F.A. from the University of Memphis
in 1997. He teaches at the graduate and undergraduate levels, mentors M.F.A.
Directing students, directs seasonal shows, and mentors graduate students. Most
recently, he directed “Ride the Cyclone” at the University of Memphis, and “The
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” for Tennessee Shakespeare. He has years of
experience directing shows across a variety of styes and genres.
“The
show’s message is both timely and powerful,” said Yorke. “The only thing we can
do as human beings is make the best of our circumstances. I love the character
of Rose for her fearlessness and willingness to take chances in her quest to do
what’s right, despite the possibility of negative consequences.”
The Hendrix Players, founded in
the 1930s, will perform the production. The production is co-sponsored by the
Hendrix Department of Theatre Arts and Dance and the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation.
Developed by the award-winning
House Theatre in Chicago, the show has the hallmarks of their unique style:
bold theatricality and an ensemble-driven approach. An inspired American fairy
tale, “Rose and the Rime” follows a young girl named Rose as she
embarks on a hero’s journey to save her town from perpetual winter. The
production uses imaginative staging to bring the audience into the world of “Rose
and the Rime” and its forests, ice caves, and blizzards.
The Hendrix Players ensemble
includes ten students acting on-stage with a large group off-stage with roles
that include stage manager, stage crew, artisans, and stage designers. Seniors
involved in the production include: actor and sound designer Lydia Le '26, an
English-film and media studies major from Rogers; props designer Bella Kerby
'26, a theatre arts major from Little Rock; assistant stage manager Autumn
Alsup '26, a theatre arts major from Cabot; and actors Miki Clendenin '26, a
theatre arts major from Hot Springs; Jada Shorter '26, a physics major from
Greenville, North Carolina; Aidan Wilson '26, an English-creative writing major
from Mountain Home; and Jae Hurd '26, an interdisciplinary studies major from
Fayetteville.
For more information about “Rose and the Rime”, the
Hendrix Players, or Theatre Arts and Dance at Hendrix College, visit hendrix.edu/theatrearts or contact Theatre Arts and Dance Department Chair
Antonio Horne at horne@hendrix.edu or 501-450-1343. For directions to Cabe Theatre at
Hendrix College, view the campus map at http://hendrix.edu/campusmap.
About the Hendrix-Murphy
Foundation
The Hendrix-Murphy Foundation
Programs in Literature and Language were founded in 1978 by a gift from Charles
H. Murphy, Jr., former CEO of Murphy Oil Corporation, in memory of his mother
Bertie Wilson Murphy. Their mission is to enhance and enrich the study of
literature and language at Hendrix College. For more information, visit hendrixmurphy.org.
About Hendrix College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College
is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way
You Think About Colleges and celebrated among the country’s leading liberal
arts colleges for academic quality, engaged learning opportunities and career
preparation, vibrant campus life, and value. The Hendrix College Warriors
compete in 21 NCAA Division III sports. Hendrix has been affiliated with the
United Methodist Church since 1884. Learn more at hendrix.edu.