The Franklin College Theatre Department will present Gracie Gardner’s play, Athena, starting Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 at 2 p.m. All performances will be in Théâtre Margot in the Johnson Center for Fine Arts.
Athena and Mary Wallace are brave, 17, and fencers, training for the National Fencing Championships. They practice together, compete against each other, and spend their lives together. These fierce athletes risk it all in a breathless series of epic fencing matches and quick-witted parleys. This fast-paced, engaging new comedy is a portrait of two high-achieving young women, simultaneously rivals and allies, pushing each other to be the best and trying to fit into the world outside of fencing.
Audience discretion is advised for language.
The production is directed by Scott Russell, M.F.A., an instructor of theatre. He is a resident of Indianapolis.
“What I enjoy most about this production is its immediacy; it’s sharp, funny, and intense, and the actors are meeting it head-on in a way that’s really exciting to watch,” Russell said.
The cast and crew include:
Lucy Cooper, a resident of Sheridan, will play Athena.
Kaylie McDonald, a resident of Greenwood, will play Mary Wallace.
Caroline Ebert, a resident of Greenfield, will play Jamie.
Emma Patterson, a resident of Whiteland, is the stage manager and sound operator.
Rebekah Walsh, a resident of Peru, is the lights operator.
Tyler Lehner, resident of Greenwood, is house manager.
“Working on Athena has been a great reminder of how talented and dedicated our students are,” Russell added. “They’re putting in a tremendous amount of focused work to bring this story to life.”
General admission is $15. Seniors (age 55+), students under 18, and students from other colleges may attend for $10 per performance. Franklin College students, faculty, and staff receive free admission with a valid Franklin College ID.
To purchase tickets, email ticketreservation@franklincollege.edu or call (317) 738-8029 or (800) 852-0232, ext. 8029. Please claim tickets at least ten minutes before the performance. The box office opens one hour before each performance.
For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.
By: Anna Cecil ’26
Franklin College Pulliam Fellow