Bluegrass-inspired music takes center stage as SF State students prepare to tell the true story of “Floyd Collins,” an American cave explorer who got trapped 150 feet underground.

The play, directed by Tony Award-nominated and assistant theater arts professor Barbara Damashek, with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, is premiering at SF State in the Studio Theatre on Dec. 7. It will run until Dec. 17.

“Floyd Collins” chronicles the last days of a mid-1920s Kentucky cave explorer who gets trapped 150 feet underground for two weeks. The first big media spectacle of the century, Collin’s life is dramatized onstage through both music and dance.

“This is America’s first real media circus, people are so distracted by what is going on above ground that they forget about Floyd Collins underground,” said cast member and senior Eugene Lovendosky, 21, a theater arts and broadcast and electronic communication arts double major. “It’s very beautiful, dramatic, humanistic and raw.”

According to Lovendosky, Collins, set out to find a crystal cave beautiful enough to draw tourists from all over the country, but his leg was pinned down by a 20 pound rock while trying to exit the cave. While trapped, reporters and onlookers from all over went to Kentucky to watch as rescue efforts failed, ultimately leading Collins to a tragic death.

“He is just a man who knew what he wanted and went after it. He wanted people to come see what he could find,” said cast member and theater arts senior Matthew Ferretti, 22, who portrays Floyd Collins in the play. “He was a man of passion.”

Cast member and senior BECA major Sarah Kathleen Farrell, 22, who along with senior theater arts major Amanda Dolan, 21, is one of two actresses playing Collins’ sister Nellie, said the play has a depressing subject matter, but balances itself with really poignant and beautiful scenes. Farrell explained that it is not your typical musical, if anything, it’s a non-musical musical.

Though the play is a tragedy, the styling of musical theater composer and lyricist Adam Guettel carries the play from scene to scene with the help of a four-piece orchestra, which will be performing live every night.

“This is a tragic musical, with dark and dissident notes that sound like they don’t belong,” said cast member, guitarist and assistant director Gianfranco Ferri, 32, a theater arts graduate student. “As a guitarist it was the hardest music I’ve had to learn because Guettel invented the chords that he wrote. I have to de-tune my guitar because it is not your normal major and minor chords.”

Lovendosky explained that performing the music has been a very rewarding challenge. For him, the sweetness of the lyrics and catchy melodies leads to a very musically calming experience.

The 20-person cast of “Floyd Collins” not only performs in the play, but many of its members also work on stage crews during each performance. For example, some cast members also serve as members of a “lighting crew,” shining flashlights on their fellow actors while they are on stage, helping to create an intimate experience for the audience.

“This play is different because we are coming from a very hands-on approach,” said Farrell. “Because of a low budget we have been able to take the play to a very artistic level.”

After two and half months of rehearsals, the cast has become undeniably close with each other as well as with director Barbara Damashek, whom the cast is more than thrilled to work with.

According to Farrell, Damashek’s rehearsal process is very different from anyone else she has worked with in the past because Damashek focuses so much on the details of each scene.

“Working with Barbara has been the most incredible experience and has changed everything for me as a performer,” said Ferretti. “She is with us each step of the way so that we understand what we are doing with the character so that it becomes a part of our blood and a part of our bones.”

“Floyd Collins” premiers on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. in the Studio Theatre in the Creative Arts building, tickets are $5. The play will run until Dec. 17. Call the box office at (415) 338-2467 for more performance times.