Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company to present British farce, See How They Run

British Flag wit the words See How They RunAfter more than a year of rehearsing and performing remotely via Zoom, the Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company will return to a live, stage performance for its fall production of the rollicking British farce, See How They Run by Philip King. Performances are scheduled for Nov. 11 and Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 13 and No. 14 at 2 p.m. Tickets, available only at the door, are $10 (regular) and $5 (students/seniors).

Stephen A. Schrum, PhD, director of the theatre at Pitt-Greensburg has chosen the theme of “hidden IDs” for the company’s two productions this year. He explained, “Hidden IDs can reference either personality IDs or Freudian IDs. Coming off of a year of wearing masks, we can now breathe free! But do we really know who or what is behind the face we see?”

See How They Run has been on Schrum’s “to direct” list for years. The play is described as having the actors galloping in and out of the four doors of an English vicarage. The cast features an American actor, now stationed with the Air Force in England, an actress, a cockney maid who has seen too many American movies, an old maid who ‘touches alcohol for the first time in her life,’ a sedate Bishop aghast at all of the goings-on and made-up stories, and four men in clergyman suits who present the problem of which is which since one is actually an escaped prisoner in disguise.

“The running and laughter are non-stop,” said Schrum, who is finding the 2021-2022 theatre season bittersweet since he announced he will retire at the end of the academic year. “We’re glad to close our Zoom windows and be working side-by-side and face-to-face once again, and I think that really shows in the cast’s performance.”

“Both play choices are subject to rights availability and public health measures,” said Schrum, “but we are looking forward to getting back to presentations of live actors in front of live audiences in the same room.”

The spring production, set for March 31, and April 1 through April 3, will be The Great American Trailer Park Musical (music and lyrics by David Nehls, book by Betsy Kelso). Schrum will collaborate with Christopher Bartley, director of music at Pitt-Greensburg, to produce the show.

Performing in the fall production of See How They Run are:

Clayton E. Gregg V (Cpl. Clive Winton) is a second-year legal psychology major from Connellsville, PA. Past roles include Grimsby in The Little Mermaid, Joly in Les Miserables, and Ensemble in Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King Jr., and Hairspray Jr. Gregg previously appeared in Pitt-Greensburg virtual productions as Peter Stockmann in An Enemy of the People and Laertes in the Zoom performance of Dark Hamlet. He is a member of Delta Psi Omega, the national theatre honor society.

Michele Laity (The Rev. Arthur Humphrey), from Pittsburgh, PA, is a senior majoring in visual and performing arts (theatre concentration). Previously she served as stage manager for Young Frankenstein, An Enemy of the People, and Dark Hamlet. This time Michele has decided to appear onstage.

 Zoe McLaughlin (Ida) is a second-year visual and performing arts major (music concentration). Prior to coming to Pitt-Greensburg, she performed the roles of Jane Banks in Mary Poppins, Mother Abbess in Sound of Music, Mrs. Higgins in My Fair Lady, Rhonda Richie in Chemistry (written by her high school director), and Alice in Thoroughly Modern Millie. From West Homestead, PA, McLaughlin made her Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company debut as Morten Stockmann in our audio drama version of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People.

 Lauren McNeill (The Intruder) is a senior engineering major. She worked as a costume assistant for Dracula, Young Frankenstein, Chekhov in Yalta, and Government Inspector. She is from Dale City, VA.

Reilly Reis (Miss Skillon) is a third-year political science major from Woodland Hills, PA. She was to make her Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company debut with Government Inspector as Chernyaevev (when COVID happened), and then returned as Morgen Kiil for An Enemy of the People in Fall 2020. Her previous theatrical experience includes the roles of Juror #9 in The Twelve Angry Jurors, Ms. Greta Bell in Fame Jr., and Ensemble in Mamma Mia, The Drowsy Chaperone, Spamalot, and Peter Pan.

John Paul Ritchey (The Bishop of Lax) is a 2018 graduate of Pitt-Greensburg and a local actor who has been active in Westmoreland County Community Theater productions since 2015, including last year’s An Enemy of the People as Dr. Stockmann and Dark Hamlet as Hamlet. He has also worked on movies and Netflix productions. Ritchey is the founder and CEO of Artistic Prosperity, a local nonprofit dedicated to the economic redevelopment of disenfranchised communities through the power of the arts. Recently, he directed a production of RUR (Rossum’s Universal Robots), which can be found on the AP channel on YouTube, and recently completed a production of Antigone (coming soon to YouTube!). When not doing that he likes to work on his Mustang and play with his rescue pebble (Pitt Bull terrier), Penny Lane.

Loryn Roadman (Sgt. Towers) is a junior psychology major from Connellsville, PA. Previous stage experience includes Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Ensemble), Beauty and the Beast (Milkmaid/Ensemble), and Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserable (French Horn in the Orchestra). She is making her Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company debut with this show.

Terence T. Turk II (The Rev. Lionel Toop) is a senior accounting major from Pittsburgh, PA. He made his theatrical debut as Francisco in The Tempest, and returned, undead, as Dracula. He also performed as a lively member of the Dance Core in Young Frankenstein, as Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko in Chekhov in Yalta, and had been cast as Osip in Government Inspector. He is also a member of Delta Psi Omega, the national theatre honor society.

Madison Vogel (Penelope Toop), from Penn Hills, PA, is majoring in psychology with a minor in theater arts. Some of her previous theatrical experiences include the Singing Telegram Girl in Clue and Pamela Stewart and a jingle singer in a radio talk show play, Featured Dancer in Big Fish, Alice B. in The Addams Family, and Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins. She earned a Gene Kelly nomination for Best Actress in Mary Poppins. Vogel is making her Pitt-Greensburg Theatre Company debut with this show.

 

 

Publication Date

Tuesday, November 2, 2021 - 13:00