Gearing up for a four-stop play, Heidelberg University student director Ben Jones will be presenting a production about the 1884 Seneca County courthouse, with the first public showing for Tiffin City Council at 7:30 p.m. May 7.
"This will allow our voice to be heard from different audiences," Jones said of the group, who will be performing at Trinity United Church of Christ, Clover Club and Bailiwick's.
"We had considered playing at St. Joe's or St. Mary's," Jones said.
The play, titled "Market and Washington: In Tiffin's Own Words," is supposed to be about the courthouse events effecting the community. Jones is a part of the nine-member ensemble.
He said they will be working on the play until its first showing for city council.
Performing are students Jones, Natty Berry, Katie Hough, Brittany Green, Nick Comber and Chris Gobel, community member Sandy Kimmel and professors Amy Berger and Chris Tucci.
Jones said the play will be his last play with Heidelberg before he graduates with a degree in theatre.
"We normally perform 7-10 plays a year," Jones said.
Jones said the group was scheduled for 30 minutes to talk to Mayor Aaron Montz about the endeavor, but ended up talking with him for about an hour.
"I am excited about the play," Montz said. "It should give some fresh perspective. You always think you know what the public wants, but this should open our eyes.
"It is often the loudest person in the room that is heard, and this should give us some interesting information," Montz said.
Heidelberg Professor of Theatre Chris Tucci said they had talked with numerous people in the community about the courthouse before it came toppling down.
"We are members of the community and we are going to be here together, we have a sensible voice," Tucci said.
This sense of belonging had an impact.
"We originally considered not doing it at all because we were worried that we'd sound like a bunch of outsiders," Jones, who is a Columbus native, said.
Tucci said he lets his students create the performances and "steer their own boat" and he acts as "the propeller," to guide them.
"A year or two years ago I thought this would make a good piece of theatre at some point," Tucci said.
