‘Leading Ladies’ closes theater season
Friday, July 17, 2009
The 55th anniversary season of ESU Summer Theatre closes with Ken Ludwig’s newest farce — “Leading Ladies.” The popular writer of “Lend Me a Tenor” and “Shakespeare in Hollywood” has concocted a clever new comedy with touches of Mark Twain and the Marx Brothers.
“Leading Ladies” will be presented in ESU’s Karl C. Bruder Theatre July 22–25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available from the university box office at 341-6378 or toll-free at 877-341-6378.
The story revolves around two down-on-their-luck Shakespearean actors (senior Scott Swezey of Overland Park and junior Dylan Lewis, Wichita) who hear of a rich old woman looking to leave her fortune to some long-lost English relatives. A mad plan to impersonate the missing relatives is hatched, but they don’t realize that the woman is looking for a pair of nieces—not nephews! Expect madcap romance and side-splitting laughs as the two actors try to scam their way to the inheritance as Shakespeare would have — dressed as women!
The cast also features junior Emily Warren (Wichita) as Meg; junior Amanda Mayer (Hutchinson) as Audrey, the well-endowed neighbor; senior Bob Hart (Overland Park) as Duncan, Meg’s greedy fiancée; senior Desiree Dye (Chanute) as Florence, the rich and eccentric “deceased.” Baker University junior Bob Linebarger (Goddard) is the blustering Doc and junior Ryan Scully (Winchester) portrays the spoiled Butch.
Theresa Mitchell will be directing Leading Ladies with sets designed by guest designer and ESU alum Aaron Kennedy. The costume designs are by Amanda Dura, and lighting design and technical direction is by Craig Moxon. The stage manager is 2009 grad Katie Schultz of Hesston.