THE SCHOOL FOR LIES in Session Beginning 6/28 at The Artistic Home

The Artistic Home will follow up its highly acclaimed and Jeff recommended production of By the Bog of Cats - a contemporary Irish take on Medea - with a much cheerier updating of a classic. Their summer production for 2017 will be David Ives' comedy in verse, The School for Lies.

As Ives did with The Liar, his "translaptation" of Corneille's Le Menteur, he honors the French 17th Century practice of writing in verse, but uses contemporary language even as he maintains the Molière play's original setting of Paris in 1666. The comedy is a battle of wits between Frank, a traveler from England known for his misanthropic wit, and Celimene, a beautiful young widow with a satiric tongue who is busy avoiding several keen suitors and a pressing legal suit. As Frank turns Celimene's world upside-down, she discovers that she can still find love amidst the lies and uproarious, naughty array of characters that never seem to miss a chance at having the last word. The Artistic Home's production, filled with racy romance and scathing humor, will open to the press Sunday, July 2 at 7:00 pm, following previews from June 28 - July 1.

The School for Lies will be directed by company's Artistic Director, Kathy Scambiatterra. She says, "I, personally, know what a joy it is to speak Mr. Ives' text and fling your body and soul into his world. So, I knew that our ensemble would experience joy in working on the piece and we all could use a laugh right now as our country muddles through its own school for lies." Her cast will include ensemble members Devon Carson, Reid Coker, Brookelyn Hebert, Julian Hester, and Annie Hogan, along with visiting artists Averis I. Anderson, Ted James, Mark Pracht and Todd Wojcik. The design team includes Elyse Balogh (scenic design), Zach Wagner (costume design), Cat Wilson (lighting design), Joseph Cerqua (sound design/original music). Kayla Adams is the assistant director. Top Row L-R: Averis I. Anderson, Devon Carson, Reid Coker

Reviewing the 2011 off-Broadway premiere of The School for Lies, The New York Times' Charles Isherwood said, "Mr. Ives's coruscating wordplay is really the star of the show... Such is the ingenuity of his verse making that you find yourself anticipating with pleased excitement the arrival of the next rhymes, many of which are stuffed inside the lines in addition to at the ends."

The production will play at The Artistic Home's theatre at 1376 W. Grand Avenue. Tickets are now on sale by phone at 866/811-4111 or online at http://www.theartistichome.org/. Previews will be Wednesday June 28 through Saturday July 1 at 8:00 pm each night. Regular run (July 6 - August 13) performances will be Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm.

To post a comment, you must register and login.