Snyder High School’s next production may be set during the 17th century, but the play, written in 1664, is designed more to tickle your funny bone than present a completely accurate picture of life during that era.
High school varsity drama students will bring Moliere’s play, Tartuffe, to life beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday. Other performances will follow at that time Friday and next Saturday with 2 p.m. next Sunday being the final show.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. To reserve tickets, contact the SHS office.
Director Michael McQuerry said, “The play is lighthearted and it approaches the sensitive subject of hypocrisy in such a way that it enables the audience to laugh and think. The kids are so energetic and their commitment to each other is more clear now than in earlier productions. This is great as we head to one-act competition.”
Tartuffe, a 17th century comedy, was created to make the audience laugh. Therefore, the characters aren’t necessarily realistic.
They include a hypocrite, a clever maid who doesn’t mind stating her opinions, a blustering young man, and a foolish and tyrannical father and a naïve and very timid young girl.
Tartuffe’s plot centers around Orgon, the father, who wants to hold on to his control of his family. He gets duped by Tartuffe who pretends to a religious zealot.
In the slapstick comedy, Tartuffe, a religious hypocrite, will be played by Logan Martin.
Jason Hook will portray Orgon, the husband of Elmire. Hook is no stranger to comedy as he has performed in seven plays so far.
“I love doing it (comedy),” Hook said. “I love to make people laugh. It’s exciting to be on the stage.”
Lacee Early and Blake Robertson will portray Orgon’s daughter, Mariane, and Coleman Welch will play Valere, the man Mariane loves.
The problem is that during this era, the father of the family had complete control over who his daughters married.
Aurelie Semillon portrays Madam Pernelle, Orgon’s mother. Corie Hernandez and Stephanie Parmer will both play Orgon’s wife.
Michael Nelson and Paul Jackson will portray Cleante, Orgon’s brother-in-law. Kerissa Shipp will play Dorine, Mariane’s lady maid. Adrian Brooks will portray Monsieru Loyal, a bailiff.
Other characters will include Lance Turner as a gentleman of the King’s Guard, and Nathan Graves as Flipote, one of Madame Pernelle’s maids.
Justin Cox, production manager praised the ensemble cast for the “energetic and physically demanding,” play. He noted that it is different from their previous production, Three Sisters, which had more serious and depressing themes. He added that Tartuffe is good practice for the one-act play competition, which begins in April.
Jeff Stanfield is the stage manager. Nathan Graves serves as the house manager; technical director Jerry Ashley and Paul Fritz is in charge of costumes.
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King Louis XIV of France was the first person to see Tartuffe in a private production in 1664. Though he liked the play, public performances were banned because officials of the Catholic Church expressed strong objections.
After Moliere revised the play he put on another performance for the king in 1667, but Tartuffe was again banned.
After Moliere brought three petitions before the king, the ban was lifted in 1669, and the public saw the play for the first time.