TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — The Department of Theatre and Dance has wrapped up its second weekend of showings for its first production of the year.

Earlier this year, Troy professor Quinton Cockrell’s play, “Trains” debuted at Barter Theatre in Virginia. Now, he’s given the production over to his students. He says he didn’t think anyone could top the professionals at Barter, but after the first weekend of shows, he’s second guessing that thought.

“Getting to see students, whom I’ve trained as actors, explore these characters has been a life-changing experience,” Cockrell said.

“Trains” is the first lead role for Kelvin Gamble, who plays Travis, the show’s protagonist.

“It’s a little overwhelming but this is what I want to do so I’m glad I’m able to jump headfirst and I’m very grateful for what I got.”

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The play includes heavy topics like racial violence, abandonment and social disadvantages. For Gamble, these are things that need to be discussed.

“It’s something that I think needs to be talked about and it’s a hard subject and not a lot of people want to talk about it just like it didn’t happen,” Gamble said. “But it’s something we need to talk about.”

Cockrell says all those topics can be put under one overarching theme.

“So many things are related that we don’t think of as related,” Cockrell said. “‘Trains’ deals a lot with the lasting effects of trauma.”

Travis’s trauma effects every decision that every character makes in “Trains.” Cockrell had one goal in building the story on that premise.

“Show people behaving like people and sometimes doing the unforgivable and being forgiven because we have that capacity.”

The Department of Theatre and Dance’s next production will be “Art in Motion: Rooted in Reconnections.” That will take place October 29 through November 1.