“Sty of the Blind Pig,” a play directed by Thomas-Whit Ellis of the theater department, opened Friday in the Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre.

“The first few performances went smoothly,” Ellis said. “The more we do it, the better we get. We are fixing a few technical things, but I’m very proud of everything.”

The play follows the story of an African-American family made up of Alberta and her mother Weedy. They meet a mysterious man who calls himself Blind Jordan. The play takes place during the civil rights movement.

“Sty of the Blind Pig” will be playing in the Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre through Saturday.

“Because it is a historical play, it is kind of hard for college students, who generally aren’t really interested in history,” Ellis said. “It is relevant however, and academics love it.”

Daniel Vaughn, a theater arts major, was excited about the technical aspects of the performance rather than the conventional parts that make up a play.

“I was really impressed with the lights and how they were coming through the ‘windows’ and the ceiling,” Vaughn said.

The cast was composed of four main characters, played by Myles Bullock, De’Andre Jean-Pierre, Francine Oputa and Breayre Tender. Bullock, Jean-Pierre and Tender are Fresno State students, and Oputa is the director of Fresno State’s Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute.

Ellis makes a cameo appearance in the play as well.

The music is played on a piano and is accompanied by a choir made up of 12 people.

Tickets for “Sty of the Blind Pig” are $15 for adults and $10 for Fresno State students.