For immediate release: March 5, 2013

BLOOMSBURG — The 2011 flood that devastated Bloomsburg and its surrounding areas also strengthened the bonds of community members. “Flood Stories, Too,” a new play co-produced by the Bloomsburg University Players and the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, is a community response to the destruction of Tropical Storm Lee.

Written and directed by Gerald Stropnicky, emeritus member of Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, “Flood Stories, Too” is a two-act play featuring personal narratives and stories of local residents’ experiences with the flood. The play opens Thursday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Alvina Krause Theater, downtown Bloomsburg, and continues March. 8, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.; March 9 and 16 at 2 p.m.; and March 10 and 17 at 3 p.m. All performances are “pay what you wish.”

“You’ll see through different monologues that most events are taken from stories people have given us,” said actor Phil Czekner, Harleysville, senior theatre arts major at BU.

Many stories were gathered by Mary Reinsburrow, Johnsonburg, junior theatre arts major and actress in the production. Characters range from students to victims to volunteers, and include Bloomsburg Mayor Dan Knorr and BU President David Soltz.

“Even though we all had our own experiences, as a community, we all had one shared experience as well,” said Reinsburrow.

Overall, the recollections in “Flood Stories, Too” are connected with the underlying themes of unity and recovery.

“Bloomsburg is a flood place. But we need to understand that things do get better and you do recover and move on,” said Czekner.

Tickets for “Flood Stories, Too” are general admission and are not available for online purchase. For advance reservations, contact the box office at (570) 784-8181 or boxoffice@bte.org.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. BU serves approximately 10,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Education, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.