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OU-C Theater To Present “The Perfect Party”
By: Jack Jeffery
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Ohio University-Chillicothe Theater will offer a midsummer night’s chuckle with the presentation of The Perfect Party at 8 p.m. on Aug. 10 and Aug. 11 in the Bennett Hall auditorium.
The play involves a college professor who decides to throw a party so flawless that he even invites a reviewer from the New York Times to cover the event.
Alas, the party falls well short of expectations, and the resulting punch lines refer more to the ensuing comedy than the refreshments that are offered.
"The event becomes a disaster, in which the host tells a lie, then is forced to cover it the rest of the party," director and OU-C faculty member Ken Breidenbaugh explains.
"It's an ideal comedy for summer. The play is funny, fast, clever and smart. The Perfect Party is set in New York City in the 1980s and is written by same playwright who was the author of Sylvia, a play that we before presented to great acclaim."
The actors in the upcoming OU-C production have become fans of the play.
"It's an interesting, witty play with a dry sense of humor," said Anthony Sommers, who plays the role of sophisticated, upscale Tony and his fake brother Todd. Sommers, a Unioto High School graduate, is a psychology major at OU-C.
"It’s hilarious and it has been so much fun to work with all of these wonderful people," said Kameron Webb, who plays the part of Lois Lumkin, a "kind of mean" reporter from New York who hopes for the worst so she can author a scathing review. Webb is attending Wright State University and taking classes at OU-C this summer.
"It's a good comedy that is based on the idea of trying to put on the ideal party," said Douglas Mead, who plays the role of Wes Wellman, a neighbor of Tony’s, who tries to help salvage the event. Mead, a Miami Trace High School graduate, will enroll at OU-C this fall.
"I love this show, and working with Ken (Breidenbaugh) is a blast," said Mandy Coonrod, who plays the role of Wilma Wellman, a speech therapist and very loving wife and mother. Coonrod, a Paint Valley High graduate, is a pre-nursing student at the Chillicothe Campus.
Lauren Scharfetter, a communication studies major who graduated from Chillicothe High School, is the fifth cast member and plays the role of Tony’s long-suffering wife.
Tickets are available at the OU-C Box Office on the evenings of performances. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens and free for OU-C students. Group rates of $8 per ticket are also available.