'You Can't Take It With You' production scheduled

The members of the Sycamore family are eccentric but not deluded. They don't suppose daughter Essie will someday become a great ballerina or that her mother Penelope's many unfinished plays will end up on Broadway. But they are happy if everyone is doing whatever makes them happy. That, "You Can't Take It With You" says, is what really matters.

The entertaining Central High School production of the Moss Hart-George Kaufman play opens tonight and continues Friday and Saturday.

Grandfather Martin Vanderhof (T.J. Bishop) once was on the grinding road to becoming wealthy but decided he'd rather spend his life in a cul-de-sac called happiness. His philosophy seems to have spread.

His son-in-law, Paul Sycamore (Drew Lincoln), spends much of his day and night in the basement with Mr. DePinna (Andrew Moore) inventing fireworks. Mr. Sycamore's wife, Penelope (Blaire Holmes), writes unproduced plays and employs a cook, Rheba (Catherine Moreton) who prepares cornflakes and watermelon for dinner.

Dancing daughter

Their lovely daughter, Essie (Sarah Goeke), fancies herself a dancer, but she's about as graceful as a Heimlich maneuver. Even her Russian ballet teacher, Boris Kolenkhov (Nick Davey) can't help. Essie's husband, Ed (Tyler Roeger) plays the xylophone and prints tracts by Trotsky.

Daughter Alice (Stacy Dohogne) is the most traditional member of the household. She has a job. She worries that her rich new beau, Tony Kirby (Clay Schermann) and his unhappy parents (played by Mason Loy and Olivia Swingle) won't understand her own family.

Dohogne and Schermann produce sparks as the young lovers. Both are convincing actors. Bishop gives the grandfather a moral heft rare in tax-evaders. Moreton elicits laughs as the Southern maid, Rheba, and Goeke charms as the guileless Essie. Kasper Woldtvedt has a small role as the drunk has-been actress Gay Wellington but makes it memorable. So does Taylor McMillan as Olga, the former Russian duchess.

Appearing in smaller roles are Blake Russell as a miffed IRS agent, Beau Jordan as Rheba's clueless boyfriend, Donald, and Edgar Palacios, Pierce Yates and Kevin McCarty as commie-hunting federal agents.

The play is directed by Cynthia Bradshaw, assisted by student director Katie Williams. and assistant director Brandon Hahs.

The technical director is Joseph Bradshaw, and the stage manager is Cassie Kipper.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182