SOUTHERN MISS THEATRE TO RESTAGE ‘SCAPIN’

Production headed for Regional Festival

Scapin, a hilarious adaptation of the Moliere play by Bill Irwin and Mark O’Donnell, had a successful run in Oct. 2005. The show was selected in November at the Mississippi KCACTF festival in Columbus to advance to the regional level.

In Jacksonville, six productions, chosen from 23 nominated productions from 10 Southeast states, will be presented. The conference also provides students nominated for Irene Ryan performance awards and Barbizon design awards an opportunity to share their work with colleagues and to receive official adjudication.

“The entire Scapin company did a fantastic job with this material,” said Louis Rackoff, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Southern Miss. “Assistant Professor Scot Mann, who directs the production, along with the talented and enthusiastic actors, designers, stage managers, and technicians, all contributed to a production that is a wonderful artistic achievement and a fast-paced, delightful performance.”

Elliott Pood, dean of the College of Arts and Letters, couldn’t agree more. “Our theatre and dance department has the reputation of quality productions and has a proven track record with the ACTF program,” he said. “We support their efforts wholeheartedly and know they will represent the Southern Miss community well.”
The show is a fast-paced, hilarious comedy in the tradition of the Vaudeville stage. Irwin and O’Donnell updated Moliere’s famous Les Fourberies de Scapin (literally, "Deceits of Scapin") for a sidesplitting evening of family fun.
The action is driven by the manic escapades of Scapin as he engages in one ingenious scam after another. He separates two fathers from their money in order to unite their sons with their loves.
Like a mischievous child, his deceptions go a bit too far. He is forced to reach new heights of foolery in order to save himself.
The action is punctuated by the musical musings of “George,” played by Lee Crouse, second-year graduate student from Magnolia, Ark. His keyboard features ingenious levers and gadgets that trigger amazing surprises throughout the show.
The Southern Miss performers have developed various circus-style stunts that include rope swings, flips, and standing on shoulders. As the story wraps up, the entire cast cuts to the chase . . . literally!
“This is a wild ride for us,” said Brad Oxnam, third-year graduate student of Greenwood. “Physical comedy is very demanding, but very rewarding when the laughs rise up from the audience.”

Anyone who missed this “wild ride” of pure theatrical enjoyment the first time will be given a second chance. “We gave the cast and crew a chance to fine-tune the production, and we wanted to give the Southern Miss and Hattiesburg audience another opportunity to see this extraordinary production,” Rackoff said.
Scapin will be presented at 7:30 p.m. each evening Feb. 2-4 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Martha R. Tatum Theatre. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for USM faculty and staff, senior citizens and military, and $6 for students. Order tickets online at www.usm.edu/tickets or call the Southern Miss Ticket Office at 601.266.5418 or 800.844-8425.
 

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