When Roanoke College’s theater troupe took the stage Saturday evening (April 13) with its production of “Title of Show,” which has played on Broadway for some time, little did the players know that the author, who has strong Roanoke Valley ties, would be in the audience.
When they discovered Hunter Bell was in the audience, says his cousin Angie Chewning, “They were like a bunch of groupies,” Chewning laughed. “They were astonished and thrilled.”
Bell, who is also an actor, came in from New York to watch his play, having been alerted by Chewning, executive director of the Vinton Chamber of Commerce, and other relatives that Roanoke College would produce it.
Bell’s cousin, Abbie Lewis (Vinton icon Bootie Chewning’s granddaughter) is a student at Roanoke College and the trip became a must. The family had seen “Title of Show” a number of times at various theaters, including the Broadway production.
Chewning says director Nelson Barre became a father the night before this production and knew the family was coming for the show Saturday night. He met the family before the show but did not tell the cast. The family was mostly on the front row and “we tried not to sing all the songs along with the cast. That would have given it away.”
Chewning says that “after the show was over the director came out on the stage—much to the cast’s surprise—and announced that not only was the Bell Family from Roanoke and Vinton in the audience, but Hunter was there. The cast was in total shock!”
Actors Ryan Bennett (who played Jeff), Eric Lee (Larry), Kojiro Leonard (Hunter), Isabella Moritz (Heidi) and Haley Ramsey (Susan), along with the crew “could not believe he was there,” says Chewning.
Following the show, Bell took the stage and talked the cast for quite some time.
A large contingent of family members were present, but Bootie Chewning was having health challenges and missed the production, which will be etched in the memory of Roanoke College’s Theatre Department for some time.
About the Writer:
Dan Smith is an award-winning Roanoke-based writer/author/photographer and a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame (Class of 2010). His blog, fromtheeditr.com, is widely read and he has authored seven books, including the novel CLOG! He is founding editor of a Roanoke-based business magazine and a former Virginia Small Business Journalist of the Year (2005).
