Unnecessary Farce
There will be one 15 minute intermission.
September 26, 27 & 28, 2024, at 7:30 pm, and Sept. 29 at 2 pm.
Dinner Theatre!
Sept. 27 and 28, 2024 at 6pm.
Goppert Performing Arts Center
The Bill and Jean Buchanan Stage
Avila University
109 E 118th St,
Kansas City, MO 64105
Tickets
To reserve tickets, please get in touch with our Box Office via telephone at 816.501.3699 or email at box.office@avila.edu.
Regular Tickets
Regular — $10
Seniors — $8
Non-Avila Students — $8
Avila Students — FREE
Children under 10 receive free entry at all Avila Performing Arts events
Who’s Who
Learn more about First Date, staff, and crew!
Director’s Notes
Farce is defined as “a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and
horseplay and ludicrously improbable situations… in which the plot
depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather than upon the
development of character.” I love the derivation of the word ‘farce”
as it derives from a French word meaning “to stuff” and was used to
describe comic bits inserted (“stuffed”) in between scenes in religious
plays. As a director of Shakespeare, I would be remiss not to mention
that in the late 16th century, the Bard of Avon wrote the best-known
Renaissance farce, his Comedy of Errors.
Pacing and timing are EVERYTHING when it comes to bringing a
farce successfully to the stage. This play features dual dialogue and
scenes happening at the same time in two different rooms that need
to be exactly timed to make the laughs happen. The characters are
being funny even when THEY don’t know that they’re being funny and
doing ridiculous things. And therein are likeable characters with all
too human foibles that make us root for them to succeed even as we
laugh every time they don’t.
I hope you enjoy watching this dose of nonsense as much as this
young cast and crew has enjoyed bringing it to life.
— Sidonie Garrett
Cast
| Eric Sheridan | Nathan Hummel |
| Billie Dwyer | Resse Hill |
| Karen Brown | Olivia Loren |
| Mayor Meekly | Coltyn Ledbetter |
| Mrs. Meekly | Lauren Grimes |
| Agent Frank | Micah Cheek |
| Todd | Tucker Rushing |
Production Staff
| Director | Sidonie Garrett |
| Scenic Designer | John Dylon Rohr |
| Costume Designer | Shannon Smith-Regnier |
| Assistant Costume Designer | Abigail Dearing |
| Props Designer | Kelsey Harms |
| Lighting Designer | Eleanor Frances |
| Asst. Lighting Designer | Tori Bestor |
| Sound Designer | Abigail Dearing |
| Fight Director | William Warren |
| Intimacy Coordinator | Matt Schwader Harbor |
| Stage Manager | Eleanor Frances |
| Asst. Stage Manager | Gabriella Fast |
| Asst. Technical Supervisor | Ta’ja Snipes |
| Box Office Supervisor | Raine Bertolde |
Production Crew
| Head Carpenter | Micah Creek |
| Head Electrician | Tucker Rushing |
| Paint Charge | Ta’ja Snipes |
| Assistant Charge | Alex Valdez |
| Carpentry Crew | Alex Valdez, Olivia Loren, Jordan Loecker, Eliot Reese, Gabriella Fast, Lauren Grimes, Coltyn Ledbetter, Roy Williams, Stagecraft class |
| Electrics Crew | Sophie Dech, Miriam Gleeson, Gaby Dawn, Olivia Loren, Angel Hernandez |
| Paint Crew | Kendall Hobgood, Angel Hernandez, Olivia Loren, Miriam Gleeson, Jordan Loecker, Nick Youngblood, Scenic Art for the Stage |
| Props Crew | Mariah Masterson, Kailey Wilson |
| Light Board Operator | Tori Bestor |
| Sound Board Operator | Abigail Dearing |
| Wardrobe Run Crew | Mariah Masterson, Eliot Reese |
| Front of House Manager | Alex Valdez |
| Front of House Team Members | Charlie Anderson, Gaby Dawn, Roy Williams, Caleb Wangler, Kailey Wilson |
| Box Office | Angel Hernandez, Mariah Masterson, Ta’ja Snipes |
Performing Arts Faculty
| Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences | Dr. Leslie Smith |
| Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences | Dr. Erin Holt |
| Director of Performance Studies | Matt Schwader Harbor |
| Director of Design and Technology | John Dylon Rohr |
| Theatre Professors Emeriti | Charlene Gould, Ph .D . Robert Foulk |
| Adjunct Faculty | Kimberly Basnight, Dr. Li-Hsin Chen, Amanda Clark, Jim Fletcher, Dr. Andrea Fredrickson, Gene Mackey, Dr. Aaron Redburn, Shannon Smith-Regnier |
Special Acknowledgments
- Bob Crow
- Charlene Gould, Ph.D.
- Albert Macias
- Belinda Troxler
- Rosario and Jesus Villafranca
- Shelby Warren
- Advancement Office: Patti Long and Ruby Black
- Great Western Dining
- Maintenance and Housekeeping
- Office of Marketing and Communication
- Student Access Office
Arts at Avila
Laureate Circle of Arts
These donors have generously supported
the arts at Avila University with cumulative giving in excess of $50,000 over their lifetime, specifically in support of arts facilities and art programs at the University. We are immensely grateful for their contributions.
- Mrs. Jean M. ’76, ’18 & Mr. William M. ’18 Buchanan
- Constance M. Cooper Charitable Foundation
- Roderick J. & Jo Anne Cyr Foundation
- Mr. Joseph T. ’16 & Mrs. Susan Fahey
- Mr. David W. ’76 & Mrs. Geri Frantze
- Vita Goppert Charitable Trust
- Arvin Gottlieb Charitable Foundation
- William T. Kemper Foundation
- The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, Inc.
- Oppenstein Brothers Foundation
- Victor E. & Caroline E. Schutte Foundation
- Victor E. Speas Foundation
- The Richard J. Stern Foundation
- for the Arts
- The Sunderland Foundation
- Mr. James & Dr. Sue King Willcox ’79
- Mr. Edward & Mrs. Mary Agnes Thornhilland Family:
- Ms. Jill E. Thornhill,
- Ms. Margot A. Thornhill,
- Mr. Mark A. Thornhill,
- Mr. Thomas Thornhill,
- Mr. Robert & Mrs. Mary Ellen Dick
Friends
- Ms. Laurie Dearing
- Mrs. Rose Marie Falco ‘47
- Patti Long
- Dr. Amy and Mr. Nick Milakovic
- Prof. Benjamin D. Pascoe M.F.A.
- Dr. Marcia C. Pasqualini, Ph.D.
Avila Theatre Gifts
- Dr. Felicia Hardison Londré
- Ms. Belinda R. Troxler ’88
Patrons
- Dr. James Burkee, Ph.D.
- Dr. Bryan DePoy
- Mr. Richard and Dr. Charlene
- Gould, Ph.D., CSJA
- Great Western Dining Service, Inc.
- Dr. Lawrence C. Marsh
- Suzanne and Dr. Jeffrey Myers
- Dr. Jordan Wagge & Mr. Richard
- Snedegar
Ticket Information
Reserve tickets by calling the Box Office at 816.501.3699 for more information.
Evening performances begin at 7:00 p.m.
Season Tickets
Regular — $30
Seniors — $28
Regular Tickets
Regular — $10
Seniors — $8
Non-Avila Students — $8
Avila Students — FREE
Children under 10 receive free entry at all Avila Performing Arts events