The Illusion' play at CSC this weekend
“The Illusion,” a classic French play with several layers and peppered with witticisms, will be presented this weekend by the Theatre Department at Chadron State College.
The production will be on the Memorial Hall stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17-19 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20.
“The Illusion” is a fantasy comedy written by Pierre Corneille, a lawyer and a member of the French parliament who is considered one of his nation’s three greatest playwrights of the 17th century. Corneille’s plays often deal with duty, honor and love. His masterpiece was El Cid, which in 1961 was made into a blockbuster movie starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren.
“The Illusion” was freely adapted about 300 years later by Tony Kushner, whose many credits include a Pulitzer Prize, two Tony Awards and two New York Critics Circle Awards.
On the surface, the story is a simple one about a rather flinty, regretful old man, Pridamant, who is searching for the son he banished 15 years earlier. He enlists the help of a wizard, who shows Pridamant three visions of his son’s life during the 15-year period. The wizard says “you can look at his life but you can’t change it”
“There are sword fights and sorcery, trysts and teases, and the characters change from scene to scene,” according to theatre critic Richard Connema. He adds that the play has a Shakespearean feel to it, but also retains a cartoon spirit.
The production has a surprise ending, but Chadron State’s director of theatre, Roger Mays isn’t revealing ahead of time what that might be
Pridamant is being played by Cody Griebel of Hot Springs. Adams Spencer of Grand Island is cast as Alcandre, the sorcerer. Lars Monson of Benkelman will portray Calisto, the long-lost son.
Others in the cast are Dan Griffee, Dawson; Crystal Nietzel, Gregory, S.D.; Clint Wright, Oshkosh; Brittany Halliday, Kaman, Utah; John Bryan III, Denver; Shelley Fiester, Lake George, Colo.; and Erika DeBoer, Morrill.
Several of the cast members have more than one part.
Tickets may be obtained through the Memorial Hall box office, which is open from 2 to 6 p.m. each weekday. The telephone number is 432-6360. Advance tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens and youths through high school. There is no admission charge for CSC personnel who obtain their tickets in advance. All tickets at the door will be $6.
Category: Campus News