Published: October 15, 2009 07:59 pm      

ACM revives ‘The Lightbearer’

CUMBERLAND — The light is coming back.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary, “The Lightbearer” by Shane Riggs will return to the Allegany College of Maryland theater. But this time around, the show has a mission.

Sponsored by the Allegany College of Maryland Center for Continuing Education and Institute for Professional and Cultural Development, the production will also serve as a fundraiser for a new scholarship for nontraditional nursing students. The scholarship was founded earlier this year by Riggs in memory of his sister, Teri Stephens, who had intended to study nursing.

“For a long time, I have been debating ways in which I could honor my sister’s memory with some sort of memorial foundation or ongoing program in her honor. I had discussed all sorts of things with my family,” Riggs said.

“When the continuing education department at Allegany College offered to revive ‘The Lightbearer’ this November to commemorate its fifth anniversary, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.”

Twenty-five percent of all the proceeds raised from the three-day production will be placed into a scholarship for nontraditional nursing students. The scholarship money could be made available to applicants as early as the summer 2010 semester.

“If my sister had survived her cancer she wanted to become a nurse. It was her intention to attend Allegany College,” said Riggs. “Until her diagnosis, she was actively pursuing the program. And she never lost faith that one day she would recover and be a nursing student. I remember her telling me once as she went through chemotherapy that she thought maybe it was God’s design to have her experience what it was like to survive cancer so she could inspire others with her firsthand experience.”

“And I also remembered that it was the nurses with the oncology unit at the Western Maryland Health Systems that made my sister’s last days comfortable for her and for her family,” he said. “Those nurses held her hand and ours and saw all of us through one of the most difficult periods in our lives.”

The entire three-day run of the production — including a special gourmet catered opening night reception — will serve as a fundraiser for seed money that will launch The Lightbearer Scholarship. Once a year, for as long as money in the account is available, a $500 scholarship will be granted to one nontraditional nursing student at Allegany College of Maryland.

Twenty five percent of all the profits from the show’s revival will go into this scholarship program to help both male and female nursing program candidates reach a goal denied to Riggs’ sister. “It will hopefully be used to help train more nurses like the local nurses that my family encountered every single day for nearly 19 months,” he said.

In addition to being a fundraiser, the show will also feature a never before seen cast of the play. “The Lightbearer” will be presented by the same actors and directors from a 2006 North Canton, Ohio, fully staged version of the show. That production won eight community theater “Georgie” awards in Ohio, including Best Actress, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Original Production.

The play will star visiting thespians Linda Daniels, Marie Graelis, Stephanie Hester, Cheryl Smith and Era Lynn Tripp and will be directed by Jay Spencer. Two local actors will make surprise cameo appearances. The production is also being presented in part by a grant from the Allegany Arts Council.

“The Lightbearer” was first staged in April 2004 at the New Embassy Theatre and was then revived by Allegany College of Maryland that November. It is very loosely based on actual events in the life of Riggs’ maternal grandmother and spans 50 years of a friendship between five women. The show also references many past and present Allegany County landmarks like Dan’s Rock, Peskin’s Department Store, Burton’s Menswear and Curtis’ Coney Island.

“William Shakespeare wrote ‘the play’s the thing’ But sometimes it’s not,” said Riggs. “Sometimes the play is just the beginning of something much more important.”

Shane Riggs is also the managing editor of Allegany Magazine, a sister publication to the Cumberland Times-News.

“The Lightbearer” will run at Allegany College of Maryland’s Student Center Theatre Nov. 20-22. A slightly higher priced ticket to Friday’s opening performance provides admission to the reception and a meet and greet with the visting actors and director. Saturay night’s show and Sunday’s afternoon matinee are general admission. Tickets can be obtained by calling (301) 784-5338.