Written by R. Cliff Thompson and Brandyn Graves
Based on a story by Brandyn Graves.
Pandemic making you stir crazy? Log into THE FEED! Created by Freed-Hardeman University in Tennessee, THE FEED began in the winter of 2021 as a series of quirky Facebook posts created by co-author Brandyn Graves about a crockpot that mysteriously appeared in a college campus parking lot. Posted during the worst of the COVID lockdowns, the crockpot posts garnered thousands of views and responses. The on-stage version was crafted by students and faculty into a dark comedy that merges meme culture and eldritch horror. Doom scroll into a story about forces beyond our control.
Cliff
Nothing was normal in early February 2021. I was recovering from cancer surgery. The COVID pandemic had set everyone on edge. Personal relationships were tinged with a fear of contagion. Teaching and creating were often challenging. But there's never a fear of infection online!
Facebook became an oasis for virus-free interactions. Into that oasis came the strange photo of a crockpot left in the office parking lot that Brandyn and I share. I reposted a photo taken by our friend and colleague Loren Warf, asking a simple question: “Where did this crockpot come from?” A public service announcement, really. But then Brandyn got an idea…
Brandyn
I don't really have a good explanation. I don't post much on social media, but it was the third day in a row that this random crockpot was sitting in the grass right in front of where Cliff and I park, and I decided to write a melodramatic “journal entry” about its inexplicable presence. It made me chuckle. That's the main thing I have to emphasize: I was in it for the lulz.
If there is one thing I'm known for, it's my commitment to a bit. I continued to post these “crockpot entries” each day I worked from the office, and the responses ranged from deeply entertained to deeply confused, both of which fed my chaotic delight.
It got really juicy when I started noticing changes in the crockpot. A mystery person, someone who was keeping up with my posts, was directly influencing the story by making adjustments while I was away. From that point, it was simply a matter of managing the pacing of the narrative. I started thinking of “the Brandyn on Facebook” as a different person than the real me.
Cliff
No one expected Brandyn's Facebook posts to become so popular. Students were talking about them in classes. Lots of good energy, which we sorely needed. Near the end of the school year, I approached Brandyn with a crazy idea. “What if we turn your posts into a play?” Brandyn and I enjoyed rich, creative success with two earlier collaborations. What if we collaborated with a cast of student performers, creating a devised piece based on the posts? He agreed.
Brandyn
Honestly, what sold me on Cliff's idea of adapting these needlessly obsessive Facebook posts was the idea that “Facebook Brandyn”, after his pathetic insistence that the crockpot “wasn't actually a big deal” to him, would then turn around and create an actual, full-length play about them! This made me laugh. It was the same mischievous chuckle that fueled the original posts, so I knew the idea must be on brand.
Cliff
Starting in August of 2021, we assembled a group of students who served as co-creators. They helped to flesh out the side characters. They injected their generation's sensibilities about social media into the work. They helped ground the internet culture elements. The September 2021 performance served as “proof of concept.” Audience response proved that we had something that would work. Drawing on copious notes, and with the Fringe Festival in our sites, Brandyn and I began a time-consuming and exciting rewriting process. Hours of meeting and dozens of revisions later, we had a script ready for auditions in the fall of 2022.
Brandyn
Finding the company for this story was a challenging, but deeply rewarding, task. Some of the company members were witness to and, at times, directly involved in the original events. There are even characters in the show named after a few of them. However, it was important to all of us that the actors felt empowered to recreate these characters and to embody them as new entities, rather than caricatures of themselves and people they know.
Though the themes of the play Cliff and I developed are broader and more universal than those of my initial role-played story, seeing my Facebook posts embodied on stage, with some of the exact language that I used on Facebook years ago, has never stopped feeling surreal.
Sarah Mae Bowen
(Katydid, Jillian)
Nate Cass
(Hamilton Beach)
Ashlyn Chandler
(Harlowe)
Jordan Deck
(John McAnnally, Influencer)
Taylor Gorrell
(Production Manager)
Collett Heenan
(Stage Manager)
Haley Hixson
(Sidekick, Hannah)
Lucas Johnson
(Crew)
Jack Joiner
(Brandyn)
MK Miller
(Robin)
Luke Noles
(Dennis, Paul)
Dailey Reitmair
(England/Raven)
Landon Rydl
(Nate)
Kaylee Sexson
(Production)
Shayli Studer
(Pixie Kay)
Courtney Willcut
(Baker/Loren)
Brandyn Graves
(Co-writer/Designer)
R. Cliff Thompson
(Co-writer/Director)
Sarah Mae Bowen
(Katydid, Jillian)
Sarah Mae Bowen (Katydid, Jillian) is a senior theatre education major from Decatur, Alabama. Sarah has been involved in FHU Theatre, both onstage and off, since her freshman year. She directed “Alabama Rain” in the spring of 2023. Sarah plans to work as a professional stage manager. She is so excited to be back in one of her favorite places abroad. She hopes you enjoy the show! Open. The. Lid.
Nate Cass
(Hamilton Beach)
Nate Cass (Hamilton Beach) is a senior theatre design/production major from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has appeared on the FHU stage as Roat in “Wait Until Dark,” Rudolpho in “Matilda: the Musical,” and Damis in “Tartuffe.” He also excels in backstage work and focuses primarily on properties and set design. He hopes to pursue careers in both technical work and performance after graduating in the spring of 2024.
Ashlyn Chandler
(Harlowe)
Ashlyn Chandler (Harlowe) is a junior public relations and theatre performance major from Abilene, Texas. She has been in 20+ productions, and previously appeared on the FHU stage as Susan in “Wait Until Dark” and Dallas in “Alabama Rain.” After graduating, Ashlyn will go on to get her masters degree in theatre and hopes to become a professor. She is incredibly excited for the opportunity to perform at the Fringe Festival and experience what it has to offer!
Jordan Deck
(John McAnnally, Influencer)
Jordan Deck (John McAnnally, Influencer) graduated from FHU in 2014. He's a software developer for System 61. Jordan is a beloved member of the FHU Theatre community. Recently he appeared “Failure: A Love Story,” (Mortimer Mortimer) Constantine Bouc in “Agatha Christy's Murder on the Orient Express” (Constine Bouc), and “Matilda the Musical” (Escapologist). Jordan would like to dedicate his time spent with “The Feed” to his wife, Akacyea Deck, and is excited he gets to travel with her to Scotland.
Taylor Gorrell
(Production Manager)
Taylor Gorrell (Production Manager) is a senior English major at Freed-Hardeman University. She has been in the cast of both "Smokefall" as Lenore, and "Matilda the Musical" as a Big Kid. She was the scenic charge artist for the set of "Tartuffe" and "Matilda". Her goals after her graduation this spring are still unknown, but whatever she decides to do, she knows she will never forget to stay in touch with her creative side, as it has made her into the individual she is and continues to grow into.
Collett Heenan
(Stage Manager)
Collett Heenan (Stage Manager) is a senior originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan majoring in Spanish and theatre design/production. Some of Collett's favorite theatrical involvements have been roles such as Lina Lamont in “Singin' in the Rain” and Beauty in “Smokefall.” Favorite costuming projects include “Descendants” and “The Prom.” After graduation, Collett wants to be a professional theatrical costumer.
Haley Hixson
(Sidekick, Hannah)
Haley Hixson (Sidekick, Hannah) is a sophomore theatre education major from Columbia, Tennessee. She has been in many productions throughout her life but most recently she has been Matilda in “Matilda,” Cinderella in “Cinderella,” and Eurydice in “Eurydice.” In the future, Haley wants to teach theatre to high school students and plans on still participating in shows.
Lucas Johnson
(Crew)
Lucas Johnson (Crew) is a junior theatre performance and design/production major. He is from Pikeville, Tennessee, and has helped construct sets for FHU shows like "Burnt Part Boys" and "Working For Crumbs". Lucas is preparing himself to find work in a professional theater, either performing or working behind the scenes, and hopes to find work in a regional Tennessee theater after graduation.
Jack Joiner
(Brandyn)
Jack Joiner (Brandyn) is a junior majoring in theatre performance, technical theatre production, and photography. His previous roles in FHU Theatre include Miss Trunchbull in “Matilda the Musical” and John Watson in “Holmes and Watson”. Jack plans on working in props and scenic design in the film industry.
MK Miller
(Robin)
MK Miller (Robin) is a sophomore theatre design/production major from Henderson, TN. She has previously performed in shows like “The Feed” (original version), “Smokefall,” and “Alabama Rain.” MK is excited for the opportunity to perform for an international audience.
Luke Noles
(Dennis, Paul)
Luke Noles (Dennis, Paul) is a sophomore theatre performance and computer science major from Henderson, TN. Luke has also performed in FHU's “Tartuffe” and the original rendition of “The Feed.” He hopes to find a job that incorporates both of his majors.
Dailey Reitmair
(England/Raven)
Dailey Reitmair (England/Raven) is a senior theatre performance major and Bible minor from Denver, CO. She has been in theatre her whole life, with roles like Alice in “Alice in Wonderland” and Cinderella in “Into the Woods.” Since attending FHU, she has played Sister James in “Doubt: A Parable,” Mariane in “Tartuffe”, The Acrobat in “Matilda the Musical,” and “Rachel Rachel” in Alabama Rain. After graduation, Dailey is planning on working with the Hillcrest Church of Christ in Paragould, AR as the Women's Youth Minister. In her free time, she plans on still being involved with theatre.
Landon Rydl
(Nate)
Landon Rydl (Nate) is a senior from Florida. While at FHU, he has designed the sets for “Holmes and Watson”, and “Doubt: A Parable,” and directed “Eurydice.” Landon enjoys working both on and off stage drawing and painting. Currently, Landon serves as painting apprentice for Circuit Playhouse in Memphis. TN.
Kaylee Sexson
(Production)
Kaylee Sexson (Production) is a freshman business management and theatre performance major from Texas. She's previously appeared in FHU shows as Miss Phelps in “Matilda” and Vivianne in “Working for Crumbs.” Kaylee plans to use her business management degree to open a bakery.
Shayli Studer
(Pixie Kay)
Shayli Studer (Pixie Kay) is an English education major from Nashville, Tennessee. She has previously appeared in FHU Shows as Miss Honey in "Matilda the Musical" and as The Matron/The Woman in "Holmes & Watson." Shayli graduated this May and will teach at Clarksville Christian School in Tennessee the day after she returns from Scotland!
Courtney Willcut
(Baker/Loren)
Courtney Willcut (Baker/Loren) is a FHU alumna with a degree in theatre performance. She's previously performed in FHU's productions of “Eurydice” and “Building Madness.” Directing credits include FHU productions of “Holmes and Watson” and “World Without Memory.” Courtney is preparing to audition for professional theatre and film work and cannot wait to see where the journey takes her!
Brandyn Graves
(Co-writer/Designer)
Brandyn Graves (Co-writer/Designer) graduated from FHU in 2012 with a BFA in studio art, and from the Savannah College of Design (SCAD) in 2015 with an MFA in production design. He works at FHU as an assistant professor of theatre design and production. Brandyn's favorite design credits include "Drowning Girls", "The Yellow Wallpaper", and "Little Shop of Horrors". Brandyn served as co-writer/co-creator for FHU's "The Dracula Project" and "Alice"! He is grateful to his wife Hannah for being supportive of his increasingly absurd ideas, and to his sons Rowan and Jullian for being his greatest source of joy.
R. Cliff Thompson
(Co-writer/Designer)
R. Cliff Thompson (Co-writer/Director) serves the university as director of theatre. He studied at the University of Memphis (MFA) and the University of Mississippi (Ph.D.). Favorite directing credits at FHU include “Taming of the Shrew” and “Drowning Girls.” Creating new works like “Alice!” and “The Dracula Project” has become the most satisfying of his recent creative efforts. After more than 40 years spent in educational theatre training students to work professionally, Cliff feels blessed to see so many of his graduates working in New York, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. He and his wife, Sherry, have three great kids and two adorable grandkids.
Tickets: £5
Runtime: 90 MINUTES
Venue 45 | Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Many thanks to our generous sponsors:
GOLD SPONSORS: Bessos Coffee, Inc., Tom and Caley Bloodworth, Terry and Regina Crews, Jud and LeAnn Davis, Jordan and Akacyea Deck, Joe and Kay Delay, Danny and Jennifer Ellis, Steve and Nicole Estes, Derek and Emily Graham, Gryphon Remodeling and Repairs, Tommy and Tish Gumm, Henderson Arts Commission, Jeff Jenkins, Gary and Michelle Massey, Richard and Diana Powell, David and Tracie Shannon, R Cliff and Sherry Thompson, Joe and Glenda Wiley, Ted and Sharon Williams
SILVER SPONSORS: Alliance Design Co., The Bramblett Group, John and Adrienne Law, Joel and Tansey Matheny, Teague-Noles 45 AutoMart
The mission of Freed-Hardeman University is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, Tennessee. FHU offers associates, bachelor's, master's specialist and doctoral degrees. For more information about Freed-Hardeman University, visit fhu.edu.
