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APSU’s production of ‘Ride the Cyclone’ set for Oct. 22-25

By: Dr. Andrea Spofford October 8, 2026

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APSU students during a rehearsal for the Department of Theatre & Dance’s production of “Ride the Cyclone.” | Contributed photo

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University’s Department of Theatre & Dance, with support from the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, will present Ride the Cyclone from Oct. 22-25 in the Mike and Sara Gotcher Theatre, located in the Trahern Building. Tickets are available here.

In this funny, moving musical, six teenagers from a Canadian choir die in a freak roller-coaster accident. They awaken in a state of limbo with the chance to return to life. This show is most appropriate for ages 16 and up and addresses themes of death.  

“Ride the Cyclone is a larger-than-life musical that addresses deep and complex themes, while dazzling the audience with big flashy production numbers and exciting technical elements,” said co-directors Lindsey Grant and Zakk Mannella. “Don’t be fooled by the fun music and overt comedy; Ride the Cyclone thrusts two deeply complex questions at the audience from the very first page: What makes life truly worthwhile, and does a life have to be extraordinary to have value? We’re so excited to share this over-the-top comedic and deeply moving story with Clarksville, and we hope you enjoy.” 

Moxxy Forensic Investigations, a Texas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping identify unidentified individuals through genetic genealogy and related investigative resources, will be on-site during productions of Ride the Cyclone. An information table will be available at all shows, and organization volunteers will present before each production. The Department of Theatre & Dance will also host a public discussion after the performance on Friday, Oct. 23. 

“Moxxy’s connection to Ride the Cyclone began with a simple recognition of how closely the musical’s themes of identity, remembrance, and unfinished stories resonate with our work,” Moxxy Forensics President Katie Thomas said. “At Moxxy, we work to identify people who have died without their identities being known. We were drawn to Ride the Cyclone because of its exploration of who we are, how we are remembered, and the importance of how a person’s story creates a meaningful connection to the mission we carry out every day. We are grateful to Austin Peay State University for welcoming Moxxy and providing an opportunity to share our mission with its audiences.” 

The cast and production team for Ride the Cyclone includes:  

Tickets are free for all university and high school students and “pay what you can” for all other attendees, with a minimum cost of $5. They can be purchased by visiting the Department of Theatre & Dance Box Office website, emailing boxoffice@apsu.edu, or calling 931-221-7379.  

For more information about this production, contact Mannella at mannellaz@apsu.edu. To learn about future CECA events and productions, visit apsu.edu/ceca/.  

About the Department of Theatre and Dance 

The Department of Theatre and Dance is a training program that focuses on the professional skills expected on any stage, set, studio, audition, or in any dance company. It offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts with concentrations in acting, dance, design, musical theatre, and stage management, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with concentrations in theatre and dance. 

About the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts 

Since 1985, the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts (CECA, or "seek-ah") has been providing students, the Clarksville community, and the Middle Tennessee region with engaging experiences through the Art + Design, Creative Writing, Music, and Theatre & Dance programs at APSU. CECA brings as many as 85 guest artists to Clarksville each year and presents up to 100 public arts and culture events annually, including concerts, exhibitions, artist lectures, master classes, artist residencies, and more. In addition, CECA provides the arts faculty at APSU with research opportunities to enhance their professional growth as well as numerous student scholarships each year to support APSU's own emerging artists. To learn more about CECA, contact Dr. Andrea Spofford at spofforda@apsu.edu.