French comedy comes to campus in ‘The Miser’

The Miser

Molière’s satire on materialism, The Miser, will hit the stage at NAU’s Clifford E. White Theater for one week, beginning April 18.

Directed by Kathleen McGeever, chair of the theater department, The Miser is a story of cunning, guile and double-dealing. The outrageous satire plays out as a father, who rules his roost with an iron fist and plans to wed his children off to wealthy suitors, realizes their intended spouses are penniless.

NAU students performing in the show include Cy Brown as Harpagon, Chie Morita as Elise, Tony Latham as Cleante and Lauren Klein as Frosine.

The performance will adhere to principles of commedia dell’arte, or Italian comedy—an art form that uses fixed social types, such as foolish old men or devious servants. Physical comedy is used to heighten the humor.

The Miser will run April 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25 and 26 at the Clifford White Theater on the NAU campus. All performances will begin at 8 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on April 20.

Pre-curtain talks on topics such as Molière, his theater and the mask-making tradition, will be given by NAU faculty 30 minutes before each show on April 18, 19, 20 and 23 in the theatre.

Tickets are $11 for general admission, $10 for faculty, staff and senior citizens, and $8 for students and children. Call the NAU Central Ticket Office at (928) 523-5661, or go to www4.nau.edu/cto.