Tickets are on sale now for “Arise and Build,” a musical play transporting the audience back and forth in time with the fictional James Fletcher, a Trinity alumnus who brings his family back to Athens to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of his alma mater. As they look back at people and events in the school’s history, Fletcher’s daughter and grandchildren gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the role Trinity played in forming his character and influencing, by extension, their own.

“Arise and Build:is co-written by Frank Travis and Charlotte Fulton, author of the book Holding the Fort, upon which the play is based. Leavened by the humor of Travis, who also is the play’s director, and punctuated by the soulful voices of some of Limestone County’s top singers under the direction of Bryant Malone and John Malone Jr. of the Committed Acappella Chorus, organizers said “Arise and Build” promises to entertain and uplift as it informs.

Travis is widely known as a dramatist and has appeared in Athens State University’s productions of “Showboat”, “Arsenic and Old Lace,” and “Witness for the Prosecution.” He has also performed at the W.C. Handy Festival in Florence, in Huntsville Renaissance Theatre, Theatre Huntsville productions, with Bank Street Players of Decatur and Fisk University Stage Crafters in Tennessee. He directed Athens State University’s production of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and, more recently, the wildly popular gospel musical “Crowns” in Athens and Huntsville.

“Arise and Build” has a cast numbering more than 30. Most of the cast members also perform in the chorus. Five of them — Angela Malone, Mary Freeman, Keona Shoulders, Tonya Townsend and Denise Williams — were in the Athens production of “Crowns” in 2013. All are talented vocalists whose voices are heard regularly at weddings and funerals, in church services, on stages and at special events in and around Limestone County.

The plot of “Arise and Build”revolves around a fictional family – Trinity alumnus James Fletcher (played by Denver Betts); his daughter, Gloria (played by Cynthia Hines); Gloria’s daughter, Jatori (played by Rebecca Brooks), a bored teenager who resists spending the summer in Athens; and Jatori’s brother Jamanti (played by Jaylon Hammonds), who is eager to learn more about Trinity’s heritage – especially if it involves sports.

Most of the characters in the play are historical: Trinity founder Mary Wells, principal Louise Allyn, teacher Mary Emma Perkins, students Alice Vassar Lacour, Patti Malone, Lavinia Harris Williams, Robert Penn, Robert Eugene Pincham, Charles Eric Lincoln, members of the Trinity School Society (which made bricks by hand for the school built in 1882),and others. Most of the actors are either graduates of Trinity, or have some family connection to the school. One cast member, Kenneth Bridgeforth, portrays his great-uncle, George Ruffin Bridgeforth, who graduated from Trinity in the 1890s and became a noted educator and agriculturist.

One highlight of the play is a humorous scene that takes place at Trinity Congregational Church when a fictional character, Sister Lucy Dimwitty (played by Mary Freeman), interrupts the service led by Rev. William Turrentine to make a presentation. Musical highlights include memorable music that ranges from spirituals such as “In the Morning When I Rise” and “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep” to Motown classics, and includes Jerome Malone’s soul-stirring original song, “Somethin ‘Bout Sunday Morning.”

Other cast members include Judy Harvey, Terry DaCruz, Kay Burlingame, Jackie Jackson, James Lane, Rev. Robert Malone, Greg Turner, Wilbert Woodruff, Rev. Eugene English, Jared Henry, Marquita Freeman, Charles Malone, Chris Townsend, Mike Woods, and Frances White. 

“Arise and Build” is a production of Athens-Limestone Community Association. Ticket proceeds go to the Pincham-Lincoln Center. 

“We are so excited to present this production to our community,” said production manager Carolyn Williams. “We are so grateful to the director, writers, cast members and all the supporters who have donated their time for the advancement of this play to benefit the new Pincham-Lincoln Center missions and goals. We appreciate all the loyal members and supporters of the ALCA and we ask you to purchase not only one ticket to this production, but to purchase one for each family member and friend. It’s guaranteed to be an entertaining evening.”

Performances are set for 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5; 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6; and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7, in McCandless Hall of Athens State University. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased from Athens-Limestone Visitors Center, located at 100 N. Beaty St., phone 256 232-5411, or at Kenny’s Kutz, 17308 U.S. 72, or call 256 444-1682.

Learn more about Trinity and its people by picking up a copy of Holding the Fort by Charlotte Fulton. This book is available at the Limestone County Archives, Athens-Limestone Visitors Center or by mailing a check ($40 per copy, add $7 postage and handling per copy) to ALCA, P.O. Box 1476, Athens, AL 35612.