Political humor plays out in satire on Cornell College stage
The Cornell College Department of Theatre and Dance is preparing to perform Christopher Durang’s knock-about dark comedy, “Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them,” opening Dec. 15 in the Plumb-Fleming Black Box Theatre.
Directed by Professor Janeve West, this production offers a comic critique on violence and untested political paranoia, and promises to be as absurdly hilarious as it is timely. A Tony Award-winning playwright, Durang turns political humor upside-down with this grown-up, and hard-hitting satire about America’s growing homeland “insecurity.”
Felicity finds herself suddenly in crisis. Is her new husband, whom she married when drunk, a terrorist, insane, or both? Is her father’s hobby of butterfly collecting really a cover for his involvement in a shadow government? Perhaps the CIA is listening in as Durang unravels private and public terrors through slapstick, laughter, and gasps. The result is an evening that eases fears in this black comedy for an era of yellow, orange, and red alerts.
Adding to the energy of opening night, audiences are invited to stay for a post-show reception hosted by Mount Vernon’s Fuel, Art, and Espresso on Thursday, Dec. 15. Also, each night before the show and at intermission, audiences can enjoy the lobby display and cash bar. Following the Dec. 17 show, audiences are invited to a talk-back with Professor of Sociology Erin Davis, where the discussion will focus on the representation of social issues in theatre and film.
The show’s hilarity is heightened by costume design by guest designer Colleen Metzger ’07, an Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance at the University of Alaska Anchorage, as well as scenic design by Don Schneider and lighting design by University of Northern Iowa professor Eric Lange.
“Why Torture is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them” runs for only one weekend. Audiences can attend a 7:30 p.m. showing Dec. 15-17 and a 2 p.m. show on Sunday, Dec. 18. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, students, and youth, and free for Cornell College faculty, staff, and students with ID. Tickets can be reserved by calling 319.895.4293 or by e-mailing boxoffice@cornellcollege.edu. This production is intended for mature audiences and seating is limited.
The Plumb-Fleming Black Box Theatre is accessible through the front doors of Armstrong Hall. Parking is available in the lot behind and to the south of the theater at the corner of College Boulevard and Summit Avenue.
For more information, contact Public Relations and Digital Content Director Jill Hawk at jhawk@cornellcollege.edu or at 319.895.4232.
