ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A U.P. theatre group is debuting its newest production this weekend, and it promises to be full of laughs.
Escanaba’s Players de Noc will be performing It Runs in the Family, a farce written by British playwright Ray Cooney. The play is set in a hospital three days before Christmas.
“There’s a lot going on in the hospital,” said Director Georgia Wilder Peitsch. “There’s a pantomime and a melodrama, they’re getting ready for a Christmas party, and the head of neurology is having to deliver a speech for a very prestigious lecture.”
While practicing his speech, the head of neurology receives a visit from a woman he hasn’t seen in 18 years. She gives him some news that turns his world upside down, leading to a number of “ridiculous situations,” according to the director.
It Runs in the Family is packed with over-the-top scenarios, a colorful cast of characters who burst in and out of doors, mistaken identities, and a white lie that spirals out of control. Wilder Peitsh says the actors do an excellent job of bringing the story to life.
“We were so fortunate in who auditioned because it is just a dynamite cast,” she said. “It just seems like every person is just perfect for the role that they’re playing. That makes it a lot of fun, and it’s just a fun play! We’ve just had a lot of fun rehearsing and I think everyone’s looking forward to opening night on Friday.”
Audiences can catch It Runs in the Family December 6 – 8 and December 12 – 14. Tickets are on sale now at the Bonifas Arts Center, located at 700 1st Avenue South, and online at playersdenoc.org. If shows are not sold out, tickets will also be available at the door.
