Colony play explores the interplay of thought and emotion

PALMER -- The title character of the upcoming Colony High School play "Flowers for Algernon" is a mouse.

What's more, it's a mouse named after the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Swinburne gained respect for his metrical innovations, but always lacked the emotional range to accompany his technical skill.

"Flowers for Algernon" pays tribute to a similar case, telling the story of a man who suddenly finds his intellectual growth vastly outpacing his emotional growth. Charlie Gordon, the lead character, is a mentally handicapped patient who undergoes an experimental operation that grants him amazing cognitive powers, but leaves him with underdeveloped coping skills. The play tells the story of his inner conflicts and troubles as days go by and his mental faculties play tricks on him.

The lead character, Charlie, is "an enormous challenge," according to Steve Byrd, director of the upcoming play. With more than 1,000 total lines of dialogue, Charlie constitutes a difficult part for even an accomplished actor. However, Byrd believes that Jeremie Fincher, who plays the lead, has successfully wrapped his arms around the part. "He's utterly dedicated," Byrd said. "He read the story four times before the casting call even came out."

"One of the most challenging things was memorizing the story," said Fincher, who noted that his part was complicated by the great multitude of scenes in the play that have little or no cues to jar his memory.

Kate Williams, who plays the part of Alice Kinnian opposite Fincher, draws inspiration from her own life to act her part with authenticity.

"This character resembles me more strongly than any I've played in the past," Williams said. "Sometimes it's hard for me to remember that I'm acting."

Flowers for Algernon runs Feb. 20-21 and 27-28 at Colony High School, and stars Fincher, Williams, Mike Woelfel as Dr. Strauss, and Brandon Greenstreet as Professor Nemur.