Forget the dramatic clouds and trumpet blasts.
In the world premiere of REVELATION: or, The Apocalypse Comes to Mama Ruby’s Restaurant, the end of the world starts in a diner in Nowhere, North Carolina.
The play follows the Four Horsemen – Emmanuel Jefferys ‘28, Angi Snyder ‘29, Henry Marino ‘29 and Rowelle Barfield ‘29 – as they gather for their annual conference to finally pull the plug on civilization. But humanity, in all its “stubbornly good” glory, has other plans.
Created by an ensemble of Ithaca College students, this production is the second project under the Los Angeles Theatre Initiative (LATI) banner, following the massive success of Eislinn Gracen’s ‘26 Guns in Dragonland last year. The show runs May 1-2 in the McCarroll Theatre; afterward, the company will be packing their bags to head to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer.
We sat down with playwright Trevor Hemmerling ‘27 and director Avery Wrobel ‘28, to talk about “deep-fried angst,” Southern accents, and the logistics of shipping an apocalypse across the Atlantic.
A Half-Page of Inspiration
For Trevor, the fascination with the Four Horsemen started with how little we actually know about them.
“Read the section of [the Book of] Revelation — it’s crazy,” he said. “It’s maybe half a page of text that so much pop culture is based off of. I felt that it gave me a lot of room to play. How have we as a non-Christian society adopted them?”
That “room to play” allowed Trevor to lean into regional specificity. While the horsemen represent supernatural forces, the diner’s regulars represent a very real slice of American life. The script focuses heavily on Southern Baptism, rather than a generic “Christianity,” a choice fueled by dramaturg Caleigh Tozer ‘28, who plays the character Serendipity SummerRain.
“Caleigh was really inclined to go a bit more into the religion of her character,” Trevor explained. “She’s got her own blend of things going on – she’s a mystic – and her dramaturgical work really got us into the nuance of religion in general.”
This deep dive into religion grounded the play’s themes of empathy and regional values. Trevor noted that while the show is a comedy, the sound of the world – the dialect work emphasized from day one – is not a punchline.
“There is nothing inherently funny about the way people talk even if it’s different from you,” they said. “The whole purpose of this piece is to emphasize empathy, forgiveness and compassion, and I’m hoping that’s something audiences here and in Edinburgh are able to connect to.”
From Dillingham to Scotland
With Edinburgh on the horizon, the production team has had to think like travelers and logistics experts.
“It’s been a struggle in making the show transferable across the ocean,” Avery admitted. “There’s only so much we can bring with us. We have to take into account what we have here – and in Edinburgh – how that will affect the set, the lights, and how we can program those lights. The audience seating is different in Edinburgh, so we’ve spent a lot of time in rehearsal making sure the show can be enjoyed from different perspectives.”
The transition is made easier by on-campus producer Chriss Waterman ‘26, a veteran of the Guns in Dragonland trip. Avery credits Chriss with teaching the team how to balance the “big job” of an international tour with the necessity of self-care.
“Of course we want to see all the things and do all the things we’ve been dreaming about,” Avery said. “But at the same time we want to take care of our bodies and our minds. Chriss has mastered that.”
Trevor added simply “I love Chriss Waterman.”
Beyond the logistics, there is an emotional weight to the move. Trevor originally considered writing something more universal, such as a take on a Greek myth, but pivoted to something “extremely regional and personal.”
“This is the area my family is from, that I’ve spent time in,” Trevor said. “The look, sound and feel are very important to me.”
The goal is to show an international audience a “slice of reality” for many Americans, touching on modern social jeopardies.
A Collaborative “Happy Accident”
Because the cast helped create the show, the rehearsal room was full of improvisation. Avery highlighted how the Horsemen, specifically War and Pestilence, and the waitress, portrayed by Grace Caron ‘27 developed quirks Trevor hadn’t originally scripted.
“The horsemen are so brilliant at improvising in character,” Avery said. “Grace has an improv 15-minute pre-show, her dialogue is so on-point.”
Trevor echoed this sentiment, noting how the script evolved based on the actors’ natural chemistry with each other.
“The actors are so friendly and comfortable with each other,” Trevor said. “I’ve made changes to the script based on things they’ve done. I love when actors do that, as a playwright.”
This collaborative spirit has turned a 13-character script into a living, breathing ensemble piece that challenges the standard “follow in the footsteps” nature of traditional theatre. Avery noted that working directly with the playwright allowed the cast to create a deep, shared history for their characters.
“New work is so exciting because you’re able to create new lore and work with the characters in that way.” she explained. “Naturally, the show will look a little different in Edinburgh – most of us haven’t been in the space yet – but that’s exciting rather than scary.”
Why You Should Go
While the production is housed in the theatre department, the team was intentional in reaching across campus. With only a few acting majors involved, the cast is largely made up of students from the Park School of Communications and Humanities & Sciences.
“We hope to have a wider audience than just Dillingham,” Avery noted. “Everyone will be able to enjoy this show, even if you’re not completely familiar with theater.”
Beyond the stage, the production utilized Park studios for photoshoots, collaborating with student photographers and videographers.
“Marketing is a part of the job professionally,” Avery said. “It elevated this show so much by getting to have those pictures and graphic design.”
At its heart, REVELATION is a play about connection. Trevor points to the symbolism of food as a central theme.
“There are some really great essays about how in film, TV and theater, all food is communion,” he said. “I think that’s very true in this setting. It’s all about that connection.
Avery agrees, hoping that students leave feeling a sense of “chosen family” and recognizing their own loved ones in the characters on stage.
“We want them to dine with us.” she said.
Show Information
REVELATION: or, The Apocalypse Comes to Mama Ruby’s Restaurant
- Run Time: 60 Minutes
- Performances:
- Friday May 1st @ 8:00 PM
- Saturday May 2nd @ 2:00 PM
- Saturday May 2nd @ 8:00 PM
- Tickets: $7.18 for students | $12.51 for general admission
- Where: McCarroll Theatre in Dillingham