November 13, 2006 :: No. 70
| Who: |
Department of Theatre and Dance at Cal
State Fullerton |
| What: |
THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER
By Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
Directed by Eve Himmelheber |
| When: |
November 17-December 10, 2006
8:00 pm November 17, 18, 30,
December 1, 2, 7, 8, 9,
6:30 pm December 3
2:00 pm November 19, December
2, 3, 9, 10 |
| Where: |
Young Theatre, Cal State Fullerton’s Performing
Arts Center, 800 N. State College Blvd. (Nutwood and
State College), Fullerton |
| Background: |
THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER is a three-act Broadway
comedy that first premiered on October 16, 1939. Written
by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, THE MAN WHO CAME
TO DINNER’s main character Sheridan Whiteside
is based on their good friend Alexander Woollcott,
the celebrated theatre critic and star of the radio
show “The Town Crier.” Hart had experienced
a rather harrowing episode with Woollcott as his houseguest,
and from there the idea was born. The printed edition
of the play starts with “To Alexander Woollcott,
for reasons that are nobody’s business.” Woollcott
was delighted with his portrayal as Whiteside, the
outlandish and slightly obnoxious orator that anchors
the play.
THE
MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER is the story of the unsuspecting Stanley family of Ohio,
who invite the famous Sheridan Whiteside to dinner. When he slips on the ice
and injures his hip, the dinner guest soon becomes a houseguest, who then becomes
a most demanding and intimidating presence in the Stanley household. Kaufman
and Hart string together a slew of Hollywood and Broadway inspired characters
who add to the pandemonium as they bring love, laughter and penguins to the Stanley
household. Director Eve Himmelheber says, “I like to think of it as a holiday
gift to our audiences: an evening of celebrity-studded high comedy transpiring
during the holiday season in the early 1930s.”
Director
Eve Himmelheber is coordinator of CSUF's Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre
program, and has performed professionally in regional theatre, civic light opera,
at the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl. Scene designer Myung Hee Cho designed
the celebrated production of WIT and LACKAWANNA BLUES that toured North America.
Her designs have been seen in theatres from La Jolla Playhouse and South Coast
Repertory Theatre to New York's Public Theater and Singapore Repertory. Renee
Duron is the costume designer, Katy Streeter is the lighting designer, Katie
O’Meara is the make-up designer, and sound designer is John Fisher. |
| Admission: |
Advance sales: $9 for general admission, and $8
with the Titan discount (available to students, senior
citizens or with a CSUF ID). All tickets purchased
at the door are $9. |
| Box Office : |
657-278-3371
Hours: 11a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and
one hour prior to performance.
Buy
tickets online |
| Internet: |
www.arts.fullerton.edu |
| Media Contacts: |
Jim Volz, Department of Theatre and Dance, at 657-278-3538
Elizabeth Champion, College of the Arts, at 657-278-2434 |
