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Spring Play – Moliere’s Tartuffe
Spring Play – Moliere’s Tartuffe
Wednesday, April 9 through Saturday, April 12, 7 p.m.
Mainstage Theatre, McCarthy Arts Center
COLCHESTER, VT 鈥� Moliere’s 17th century comedy 鈥淭artuffe鈥� is getting the 21st century treatment at Saint Michael鈥檚 College this spring.
The satire on religious hypocrisy was initially banned in France after its debut, but themes from the 1660鈥檚 play remain relevant centuries later, producers at the College say. Saint Michael鈥檚 College鈥檚 Department of Fine Arts: Theatre will present a slimmed down version of 鈥淭artuffe,鈥� or 鈥淭he Imposter,鈥� as its mainstage play, featuring a contemporary setting and contemporary music to make it even more accessible to today鈥檚 audiences.
Performances will take place April 9 to 12 at 7 p.m. in the College鈥檚 McCarthy Arts Center Theatre. The events are all free and open to the public.
鈥淭he play is shockingly relevant all these years later, when we see how easily people can be manipulated and taken advantage of in the name of religion,鈥� said Saint Michael鈥檚 Acting Instructor Melissa Lourie, the play鈥檚 director. 鈥淏ecause it is a comedy, all鈥檚 well that ends well 鈥� evildoers are punished and lovers reunited 鈥� but not before Moliere has mercilessly examined the evil that men can commit in the guise of religious fervor and the dangers that imperil those who would believe only what they choose to believe despite a mountain of evidence to the contrary.”
Joining a cast of Saint Michael鈥檚 students, alumnus and guest artist Rick Ames 鈥�95 will play the title role of Tartuffe. Fellow guest artist Paul Ugalde will play the role of Orgon, Tartuffe鈥檚 unwitting target.
The play is being directed by Lourie, who is also the Artistic Director of Middlebury Acting Company, and guest artist Margo Whitcomb. Theatre Professor Peter Harrigan is designing contemporary costumes for the production and fellow Theatre Professor John Devlin is designing the sets and lighting.