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“This production is a tribute to working class mothers all over the globe. The kind of mother who works while still raising a family, the kind of super hero-like figure that meets the needs of others before thinking of herself,” said Little, whose own mother, Mimi Little, fits that bill and has been part of the theater world with him for decades.
“The playwright, Coline Serreau, celebrates the beauty and the challenges such strong women face,” Little added.
The show will be produced in the Dotty and Bill Miller Theatre in the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts; showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21-23 and 2 p.m. Oct. 23-24.
Serreau is the creative mind that wrote the 1980s hit film “Three Men and a Baby.” While the play celebrates mothers, it is not a Hallmark movie. It’s a French comedy best described as a fast-paced farcical romp, with plenty of satire and some adult language thrown in. In other words, prepare to laugh.
The plot: Mama Lapin thinks her work raising her children was behind her, until each child returns home through a series of plot twists and turns. Mama and her brood are challenged to keep the family together when the world is flipped upside down through a comical military coup and a possible alien invasion. Yes, an alien invasion.
The cast welcomes many new faces to the stage. Mama is played by Michaela Henningsen (Joplin, Missouri), while Westin Friederich (Le Mars, Iowa) plays alongside her as Papa. The children, Bebert, Jeannot, Marie, Lucie, and Lapin are played by Declan Ortiz (Pittsburg), Zach Kamm (Basehor), Grace Springer (Mound City), Katherine Hudiburg (Fort Scott), and Neal Zoglmann (Conway Springs).
Rounding out the ensemble is Annabella Beachner (St. Paul) as the hard-of-hearing upstairs neighbor Madame Duperri. Lucie’s fiancé, Gerard, is played by Pitt State Theatre veteran Ryan Bennett (Overland Park). Herve is played by Ian Lee (Topeka). The prime minister is played by newcomer Jerry Middleton (Parsons). Police and soldiers are played by Emma Jones (Ada, Oklahoma) and Megan Spiers (Pittsburg). The cast is completed by graduate student Cooper Dammrich (Olathe) in the role of the little solider.
Tickets
Tickets are free to those with a valid PSU ID.
Other tickets are $12 for the general public, and $7 for those under 17 and those over 65. Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more; call the box office at 620-235-4536 for details.
Tickets may be purchased at the PSU Ticket Office in the Garfield Weede Building from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by calling 620-235-4796. They may be purchased at the box office in the Bicknell Center starting 30 minutes before curtain, based on availability. Or, buy now:
