EUGENE–The ever-popular "The School for Wives," a comedy from 17th-century French dramatist Moliére and translated into modern English verse by Richard Wilbur, will open on Wednesday, March 1, in the Arena Theatre at Villard Hall, 1109 Old Campus Lane, as the final play of the University Theatre Second Season.

The play, directed by Biliana Stoytcheva-Horissian, a doctoral degree candidate in theater arts from Sofia, Bulgaria, continues on March 2—4 and March 9—11. All performances begin at 8 p.m., and no late seating is permitted. Free parking is available nearby in the University of Oregon lot at East 11th Avenue and Kincaid Street.

Tickets cost $6 for the general public; $5 for senior citizens, UO faculty and staff, and non-UO students; and $4 for UO students. A $1 discount is available to UO students for Wednesday and Thursday performances.

Tickets for all University Theatre events are now available at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, One Eugene Centre, as well as at the Ticket Office in the Erb Memorial Union,
1222 E. 13th Ave., and the University Theatre Box Office in the Robinson Theatre Lobby.

This translation of "The School for Wives" was a resoundingly popular and critical success on Broadway recently, starring Brian Bedford in a Tony Award-winning performance. Critics say this facile and witty version of Moliére’s comedy shares its brilliance and theatrical viability with Wilbur’s translations of "Tartuffe" and "The Misanthrope."

"I believe that this production will appeal to a wide variety of audiences," says director Stoytcheva-Horissian. "Although Moliére himself wrote that his special concern was to highlight the follies of the men and women of his own generation, the play has a timeless quality.

"On the one hand," she continues, "the play addresses the ageless themes of love and control, marriage and family, and choice and fate which are heightened through brilliant verbal wit and skillfully developed characters. On the other hand, the masterfully created situations call forth a use of broad physical humor in characterization.

"Thus, our production is intended for both young and old, for everyone who would like to relax at the end of a hard day and join us for an exciting journey full of wit, humor and laughter," Stoytcheva-Horissian says.

When writing about the recent Broadway production, New York’s Newsday declared "The School for Wives" is "…a thing of joy…, a carefree, happy and sparkling romp to be seen and enjoyed by young and old alike." And the New York Post described the play as "…warmth, the richness of smiling humanity and a marvelous quality of humorous zest."

The production team working with director Stoytcheva-Horissian includes lighting designer Brian Jones, a sophomore theater arts major from McMinnville; stage manager Torey Mulvany, a senior theater arts major from Ontario; costume designer Kendall Dodd, a junior Spanish major from Portland; and technical director Ritch Ainsworth, a junior theater arts major from Salem.

Also part of the production team are sound designer Colleen Wroblewski, a senior theater arts major from Danville, Calif.; and set designer Jung-hyo Kim, a doctoral degree candidate in theater arts from Cheju, South Korea.

The cast features Ian Appel, a junior English and theater arts major from Brookings, as Oronte; Joe Von Appen, a junior theater arts major from Eugene, as Chrysalde; Kathryn Reese, a sophomore theater arts major from Eugene, as Georgette; Anthony Jackson, a junior history and theater arts major from Portland, as Horace; Ross Maxwell, a senior English major from Portland, as Arnolphe; Michael Govier, a senior theater arts major from Redding, Calif., as Alain; and Elizabeth Flesh, a junior theater arts major from San Diego, Calif., as Anges.

For more information about performances of "The School for Wives," browse http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~theatre or call the University Theatre Box Office, (541) 346-4191; the EMU Ticket Office, 346-4363; or the Hult Center Box Office, 682-5000.

A taped message about University Theatre productions and activities also is available 24 hours a day by calling GuardLine from a Touch-Tone phone at 485-2000, ext. 2287.

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