By Daniel Brasington ’25
A story of connection, strength and friendship for all ages is coming to Wofford in April.
Wofford Theatre will stage “The Missing Moon,” an original play written by Kerry Ferguson, adjunct professor of theatre at Wofford College. Performances will be held in the Jerome Johnson Theatre of the Rosalind Sallenger Richardson Center for the Arts at the following times:
- Thursday and Fridays, April 10-11 and 17-18, at 7 p.m.
- Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Saturday, April 19, at 2 p.m.
The play runs for an hour and is written for children, complete with the inhabitants of two islands, fantastic characters like a mermaid and a goblin, and a moon that was there and then wasn’t. But it’s designed to entertain all audiences. The Saturday matinee performances will also include fun pre-show activities for kids.
Visit wofford.edu/boxoffice to purchase tickets, which range from $5 for students to $12 for the general public. Wofford employees can attend for $10.
“I think everyone will get something out of this show — no matter your age. It’s funny! It’s musical! It’s magical!” says Ferguson. “Professor Colleen Ballance and her crew have designed a fantastic set: dynamic and elegant. Senior theatre major Mary-Michael O’Hara’s costumes are creative and colorful. There is just a lot to see and take in for this show.”
According to Abigail Dillard, assistant professor of theatre at Wofford, the college brought two recent graduates to help with the show. Rachel Johnson ’24, the musical director, has composed music that’s catchy and evocative. Joanna Burgess ’22 is the lighting designer and has developed creative ways to portray the moon and the light on the water.
“Our design team is now made up of an all-female team of Wofford students and alumni,” says Dillard. “Everyone on the team recognizes the importance of making theatre accessible for younger generations and could not be more excited to welcome an unconventional audience to enjoy a heartwarming performance in the college’s beautiful theatre space.”
Ferguson has been writing plays since college and graduate school. Now she focuses on stories for children and families, writing picture books, plays and poems.
“About 20 years ago, I created a new theatre for youth class in the department here at Wofford,” says Ferguson. “I taught about the genre and then wrote a bespoke play for kids based on the students in the class and the themes we wanted to tackle in the piece. That year we devised a show called ‘Go to Bed Amelia Red!,’ which was so fun and a surprising success.”
Since then, there have been half a dozen more youth theatre shows, most written during the semester and performed as the culmination of the class in the college’s Sallenger Sisters Black Box Theatre. “The Missing Moon” is not tied to a class, but it remains integral to the academic experience and the ways in which Wofford is connected to the local community.
Ferguson hopes people on campus and off will come together — like the people on the islands in the play — to celebrate storytelling, acting, design and music.
“At its heart, ‘The Missing Moon’ is a quirky story of connection, friendship, inner strength and outer space! There is something for everyone in this one, and it’s only an hour long,” she says. “Come and get swifted away to a pair of magical islands to see what happens the night that the moon goes missing. Join us!”