Dinner Theatre 2008 readies for opening night

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YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU
By Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman

The season opener for Hawkeye Community Theatre is a show new to the
HCT stage.

"You Can't Take It with You" is a Pulitzer Prize winning comedic play
in three acts by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, and was the basis
for the 1938 Academy Award winning film directed by Frank Capra. The
original production of the play opened at the Booth Theater on
December 14, 1936 and played for 837 performances.

The movie cast included James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore,
Edward Arnold, Spring Byington, Ann Miller, Charles Lane, Mischa Auer,
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, and Arthur Murray.

At first the Sycamores seem mad, but it is not long before you realize
that if they are mad, then the rest of the world is madder. In
contrast to these delightful people are the unhappy Kirbys. Tony, the
attractive young son of the Kirbys, falls in love with Alice Sycamore
and brings his parents to dine at the Sycamore house on the wrong
evening. The shock sustained by Mr. and Mrs. Kirby, who are invited to
eat cheap food, shows Alice that marriage with Tony is out of the
question. The Sycamores find it hard to realize Alice's view. Tony
knows the Sycamores live the right way with love and care for each
other, while his own family is the one that's crazy. In the end, Mr.
Kirby is converted to the happy madness of the Sycamores (particularly
because he happens in during a visit by the ex-Grand Duchess of Russia
Olga Katrina, who is currently earning her living as a waitress).

The story takes place entirely in the large house of a slightly batty
New York City family. Various characters in the lives of the Vanderhof/
Sycamore clan are introduced in the first act.

Penelope Sycamore is Joan Meyer
Mother of Essie and Alice, wife of Paul, and daughter of Martin. She
writes plays and paints as hobbies but is terrible at both. She never
finishes any job she starts.

Essie Carmichael is Brandy Vrchoticky
Wife of Ed, daughter of Penelope and Paul Sycamore, Granddaughter of
Martin, sister of Alice. She is childish. As a hobby she makes candy
that Ed sells. Essie dreams of being a ballerina. She has spent 8
years studying with Boris Kolenkhov but in reality is terrible at
dancing.

Rheba is Emily Cavanaugh
The maid and cook to the Sycamore family. She is dating Donald. In the
words of Mrs. Sycamore, "The two of them are really cute together..."

Paul Sycamore is Jeff Bluml
Father of Essie and Alice, husband of Penelope, Son-in-law of Martin.
He is a tinkerer who manufactures fireworks in the basement with the
help of his assistant Mr. De Pinna. His hobby is playing with erector
sets.

Mr. DePinna is Mark Gustafson
The ice man who came inside to speak to Paul and never left. He helps
Mr. Sycamore build fireworks, and moonlights as a model in Mrs.
Sycamore's paintings.

Ed Carmichael is Jesse Helling
Husband of Essie, son-in-law of Paul and Penelope. He is a xylophone
player, and helps distribute Essie's candies. Ed is an amateur printer
who prints anything that sounds good to him. He prints up dinner menus
for his family and little quotes that he places in the boxes of
Essie's candy. Those quotes get the whole family in big trouble.

Donald is Jeff Thielen
The boyfriend of Rheba. He loves cornflakes.

Martin Vanderhof is John Molseed
Referred to mostly as Grandpa in the play. Father-in-law to Paul,
father of Penelope, grandfather of Alice and Essie. He is an eccentric
old man who hunts snakes and has never paid his income tax because he
doesn't believe in it. He lives his life by the philosophy, don't do
anything that you're not going to enjoy doing.

Alice Sycamore is Sarah Smith
Fiancée of Tony Kirby, daughter of Paul and Penelope, Granddaughter of
Martin, sister of Essie. She the only "normal" family member. She has
an office job, and is rather embarrassed by the eccentricities of her
family, yet deep down, she still loves them.

Henderson is Steve Farr
An employee of the IRS. He comes to collect the tax money owed by
Martin, and can't understand why Martin won't pay income tax.

Tony Kirby is Dana Westphal
Fiancé of Alice, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Kirby. He sees how even though
the Sycamores appear odd, they are really the perfect family because
they love and care about each other. His own family is very proper and
has many issues none of them will admit. He tries to show his parents
how the Sycamores are a good family.

Boris Kolenkhov is Bob Higgins
A Russian who escaped to America shortly before the revolution. He is
very concerned with world politics, and the deterioration of Russia.
He is friends with many ex Russian leaders including the Grand Duchess
Olga Katrina. He is the ballet instructor of Essie, he knows she's not
good at dancing, but knows that she enjoys dancing so he keeps working
with her. He has a very renaissance attitude, meaning he likes the
Greeks and the Romans, questions society, and is interested in world
affairs.

Gay Wellington is Colleen Kaiser
An actress who Mrs. Sycamore meets on a bus and invites home to read
one of her plays. She is very drunk and passes out shortly after
arriving at the Sycamore's home.

Anthony Kirby is John Metier
Husband of Mrs. Kirby, father of Tony. He is a very stuck up man who
works at Wall Street and secretly despises his job. His hobby is
raising expensive orchids.

Miriam Kirby is Martha McColley
Wife of Mr. Kirby, mother of Tony. She is a very prim and proper
woman. She stays up with the fads of the times. Her hobby is
spiritualism.

FBI Agent 1 "The Man" is Jim McColley
One of three agents who come to investigate Ed because of the
communist things he prints up.

FBI Agent 2 (Jim) is Noah Carspecken
One of three agents who come to investigate Ed because of the
communist things he prints up.

FBI Agent 3 (Mac) is Jordan Chapman
One of three agents who come to investigate Ed because of the
communist things he prints up.

The Grand Duchess Olga Katrina is Phyllis Ann Frolich
She was the Grand Duchess of Russia before the revolution. Since then
she has been forced to flee to America where she has found work as a
waitress. The rest of her family has had a similar fate. She loves to
cook for a hobby.

The show runs for two extended weekends March 6-8 and 13-15, 2008 at
Hawkeye Theatre, 521 North 12th Street in Ft Dodge. Dinner is catered
by Tea Thyme at Sadies with a choice of two entrées. Dinner seating is
at 6:30 with the show to follow at 8:00. Reservations are required at
515.576.6061. The production is directed by Michael Shoopman under
authority of Dramatists Play Service, NY, NY, USA.