The USAO Drama Department will present three showings of “Mankind” on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m., 10 p.m., and 12 a.m. in the Davis Little Theater.

People attending the show should try to be there 30 minutes early in order to get a ticket, according to Associate Professor of Theater Arts Katie Davis.

Only 75 tickets will be sold for each showing, she said.

Since auditions in September, the cast and crew together have put in from 20 – 25 hours per week of preparing for the production, said Davis.

“Mankind” is about good and evil and where man fits into those categories.  The play is like a haunted tent revival, and once inside the play tells what the lesson of the sermon is, said Davis.

Playing the lead role of Mercy is freshman theater arts major Ben Gaskins.

Not expecting a to get a lead role as a freshman, Gaskins said at first he was nervous.  “It was the most lines I had ever had before,” he said.

As Mercy, Gaskins explained, he is a preacher dressed in all white with supernatural powers and serves as a voice that tells people to do better.

“Whenever we have our energy it’s a really good show,” said Gaskins.

There will be lots of makeup special effects and weird costuming to achieve a spooky and fun atmosphere for the audience on Halloween night, Davis said.