Gotzon to debut senior production of O'Neill's "A Moon for the Misbegotten"

"The play…deals with many timely personal struggles, such as alcoholism, the burdens of familial relationships and the lengths we must travel within ourselves to find forgiveness and hope in new love," Gotzon said.

The play tells the story of the Hogan family—father Phil (played by Austin Angell, senior), son Mike (Alex Tracy, senior), and daughter Josie (Dani Bruns, sophomore)—who live on a run-down farm in Connecticut and make their living through scamming others. The family is known around town for its wild and irresponsible behavior, including Phil’s battle with alcoholism and his tyrannical nature.

Because of the dysfunction taking place in the Hogan household, Mike chooses to flee the home and pursue his dream of becoming a priest, a decision of which his sister is supportive.

Josie picks up the slack of her father on the farm and is known in the community as a feisty, tough woman, though the plot reveals that on the interior, she is actually very vulnerable. Enter James Tyrone Jr. (Gotzon), a failed actor-turned-landlord, who is a charming alcoholic and also in love with Josie Hogan. Tyrone has intentions of seeking revenge on and taking advantage of Phil, who he believes is going to sell out his farm land to a competing neighbor, T. Stedman Harder (Stephen Whitmore, sophomore).

The situation among the characters complicates even further, and a dramatic story unfolds with an unexpected conclusion to O’Neill’s answer to the first part of the story presented in "Long Day’s Journey into Night," in which Gotzon also played the part of James Tyrone, Jr.

"I played James Tyrone, Jr. in ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night,’ and ‘A Moon for the Misbegotten’ presents a continued story of the character. I didn’t feel like the character and I were done. I thought that this would be a good way to end my college career and end my reckoning with the character," Gotzon said.

Gotzon also said that the idea of producing this particular script for his senior production came to him about two years ago, and that in preparing for the show he wanted to

take full advantage of embodying a true director.

"The senior decides how his or her casting process is going to work. I decided to hold auditions, although a lot of seniors choose cast members from people they know. I decided to hold auditions instead because I wanted the full experience as a director," Gotzon said.

Gotzon also said that the most rewarding part about producing "A Moon for the Misbegotten" was rising to the challenge of directing such an intricate and complex play.

"It will be evident to the audience that it would have been a challenge for a senior to produce," Gotzon said.

After the conclusion of his senior theater production and graduation from William Jewell, Gotzon will assess his many options of continuing his career as an actor. He recently was accepted to the master’s program at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Gotzon’s program at the university would specifically focus on acting with an emphasis in British tradition. Due to his current acting contract with Six Flags theme park, which runs through the end of October, Gotzon may choose to attend the University of Birmingham next year in the fall of 2012.

Gotzon, also hopes to focus on his newly-established acting company, Motion Sickness Theatrical, which he co-founded in St. Louis with a friend and fellow actor. Gotzon serves as a producer and public relations director for the company, and said that it is "built around plays that are more human videos than plays. No dialogue, just music and bodies telling a story."

"A Moon for the Misbegotten" debuts tonight in Peters Theater at 7 p.m. and will run again tomorrow at the same time. Tickets for students and the general public are $5.

Tara Moreland can be reached at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.