A Dedication And A Play At McDaniel College

Some McDaniel students relaxing on campus.

MCDANIEL COLLEGE, located in Westminster, MD, is a college of distinction particularly notable for its liberal arts undergraduate education, Half of its degrees yearly are awarded in the arts and sciences. Because of the caliber of its education, it is frequently recognized and has received various awards from national publications.

On Sept. 17, Kenneth R. Gill Stadium, part of McDaniel received a new electronic scoreboard, courtesy of the Marks family. Mike J. Marks was a cum laude graduate of the College with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Studies in May 2013. Only one month later, he was involved in an auto accident, in which he lost his life. During his undergraduate years, Mike had been a starter for four years on the men's lacrosse team, being designated as team captain in his junior and senior years.

Mike's parents, teammates, and friends all participated in this special dedication during halftime of the football team's opening game. Mother, Barbara Marks was wearing the practice jersey that he had designed for team practices and she spoke about how much her son liked this College and his feeling that it was the perfect fit for him. She said, "He grew and flourished and fell in love here. Mike lit up every room he walked into. He lit up the classroom, the campus, the athletic field, and the locker room. And so it is fitting that the scoreboard for Mike will light up the field and campus."

College President Roger N. Casey also remembered Mike, "Mike exemplified what it means to 'be McDaniel' and we are here to honor his life as we continue to mourn the untimely death of a young man who had a promising future." Besides the new scoreboard, the field was also sporting new turf, already in place for the planned reconstruction of the track and field area.

On Oct. 5 to Oct. 8, McDaniel College Theatre Arts students are performing in the abstract comedy, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Alumni Hall on the college campus. The play was written by Sarah Ruhl, a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and Pulitzer Prize finalist. This play looks at the the way we memorialize the dead through the story of a woman, who confronts her assumptions about morality and redemption in a world obsessed with technology. Tad Jones, who is artistic director of the Maryland Ensemble Theater in Frederick, joins the students as guest director.

The Marks family, friends and teammates dedicate the new scoreboard in memory of Mike J. Marks.

Mr. Jones discussed the writer and the play, "Sarah Ruhl is truly one of America's hottest playwrights. Her work is usually funny, poetic, and deeply human. Dead Man's Cell Phone certainly fits this mold." He continued, "The play takes the ordinary person, Jean, and thrusts her into extraordinary and unusual circumstances. The play has comedy, drama, mystery, love, and an 'other world' quality at times. It deals with big issues and family issues. Personally, I love plays where, when you leave as an audience, you think 'wow, there was a lot in that!' and then you have to talk about the play for the next hour with your friends. Dead Man's Cell Phone is fun, and, has a lot to talk about."

Najee Banks (left) and Antoinette Martin, performing in Dead Man's Cell Phone.

Senior Najee Banks, from Baltimore plays Gordon; senior Annette Martin, from Cape Coral, FL, plays Jean; senior Jennifer Shillingburg, from Oakland, MD, plays Hermia; senior Brandi Myers, from Northfield, MA, plays Mrs. Gottlieb; and junior Bryan Bown, from North Beach, MD, plays Dwight. Others in the cast include Torreke Evans, Megan Smith, and Alex Tolle, all juniors.

Thanks for information from this article on McDaniel College website: http://www.mcdaniel.edu/information/headlines/news-at-mcdaniel/archive/new-scoreboard-dedicated-in-memory-of-mike-marks-13; this article from the same site: http://www.mcdaniel.edu/information/headlines/news-at-mcdaniel/archive/theatre-arts-students-stage-dead-mans-cell-phone; and the above link.

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