Monday, March 23, 2026

The Center for Theater at Muskegon Community College will present Elephant’s Graveyard by George Brant March 26–28 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance March 29 at 3 p.m. Performances will take place in the Overbrook Theater on MCC’s campus.

The play is based on the true 1916 story of a traveling circus and its visit to a small town in Tennessee, which resulted in the only recorded hanging of an elephant in the United States. Blending documented history with folklore, the script examines themes of spectacle, mob mentality, and revenge. Since its 2007 premiere at the University of Texas at Austin, the work has been widely produced by college and professional theaters across the country.

The MCC production features current students and alumni.

Annelise Dickinson, the play’s director, said the play continues to resonate with audiences.

“What makes this story so compelling is that it actually happened. It forces us to wrestle with how ordinary people can get swept up in extraordinary circumstances,” said Annelise Dickinson, Theater Faculty at Muskegon Community College. “The themes in this script, however, feel surprisingly current. It’s a reminder that history isn’t as distant as we sometimes think.”

• What: Elephant’s Graveyard by George Brant
• When: Thursday–Saturday, March 26–28, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, March 29, 3 p.m.
• Where: Overbrook Theater, Muskegon Community College
• Cost: $15 general public | $10 MCC students and staff

Tickets are available by phone at (231) 777-0324 and online at www.muskegoncc.edu/theater or https://mccoverbrooktheater.ludus.com/index.php

Elephant’s Graveyard is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.