This holiday season the School of Theater will not perform one of its traditional Christmas plays but a new show instead.
In past years the school preformed A Christmas Carol or It’s a Wonderful Life, but this year they are scheduled to perform The Man who came to Dinner.
“We have done Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life a number of times. I have been here 10 years and at least seven of those years we’ve done one of those,” said Lance Marsh, professor of theater. “This is an American classic that comes back to the theme of Christmas, and it’s funny. After all the Christmas shopping and fighting with Starbucks over red cups we all are going to need to laugh.”
The Man Who Came to Dinner is a Christmas comedy set in the 1930s. It follows “Sheridan Whiteside,” an outlandish radio personality invited to dinner by a rich factory worker.
Before Sheridan enters their home, he slips on a patch of ice, breaks his hip and is forced to stay at the home while he heals, terrorizing the factory owner and his family during his stay.
“The rehearsal process has been absolutely amazing,” said Madelon Wink, acting junior. “My director and cast mates have been so fun to work with, on top of it being an already funny show. I can’t wait to share our hard work with everyone.”
The play was adapted into a film in 1942.
Students performing in the show will work alongside professional actors, Drew Brhel, who will play the radio personality. Brhel, an actor from Cudahy, Wisconsin, is a member of the Actors Equity Association. He has directed and performed in several Shakespeare productions.
The show’s cast also includes professors from the School of Theater.
“This cast has the most equity heat in it anywhere in the state in the last 10 years,” Marsh said.
The show opens Dec. 4 and runs for two weeks in Burg Theater in Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center. Students can buy tickets at the door or the performing arts ticket office.
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