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Something good is cooking at ������ϲʹ���’s very own PepsiCo Theatre. Theatre Fairfield, the campus’s resident production company, is closing its season with Tina Howe’s delectable play The Art of Dining . Performances will take place at the PepsiCo Theatre on April 13-16 at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on April 16 and 17. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $6 for seniors and University staff, and $5 for students. All tickets are sold at the Quick Center Box Office, (203) 254-4010 or 1-877-ARTS-396.

The Art of Dining is a zany absurdist farce that tells of the strained relationship between Cal and Ellen, the respective maitre'd and chef of a gourmet restaurant run out of their own house, as well as three odd groups of customers and their bizarre relationships with food. Cal’s worrying about paying back their loan and Ellen’s despair over Cal’s incessant eating of the customers’ dishes creates the perfect recipe for what could be a disastrous outcome.

What excites director Jan Mason the most about this particular show is the outlandish humor. “When I read it for the first time,” she said, “I laughed out loud, and even now, several months later, I find myself laughing through rehearsals. It is great fun to direct a comedy, and the actors are bringing hilarious elements to this quirky bunch of characters.”

One thing that makes this production particularly unique is the fact that all of the food in the show is mimed. Some of the sumptuous dishes in the show include duckling in wine with sliced peaches, Belgian oxtail soup, and Veal Prince Orloff. The delicious flavors, succulent aromas and culinary wizardry are all artfully created by the magic of theatre.

Mason hopes that audiences will enjoy “the journey of these characters as they come together to create a communal moment of grace that transcends their collective neuroses around food and dining.”

Assisting Mason on the production team are Dr. Martha Schmoyer LoMonaco and Lynne Porter, co-producers; Bill Clarke, scenic designer; Julie Leavitt, costume designer; Lynne Chase, lighting designer; Jeremy Jenkins, technical director; Brendan McNamara ’17, stage manager; and Shannon Kelley ’19, assistant stage manager. The cast features Brigid Callahan ’16, Patrick Donegan ’18, Sean Larson ’18, Jessie Lizotte ’18, Jordan Mason ’19, Romina Rabines ’19, Aubrey Sierer ’16, Tori Schuchmann ’16 and Nick Solimini ’16.

Theatre ������ϲʹ���is ������ϲʹ���’s resident production company. The theatre program at ������ϲʹ���offers students a liberal arts education infused with the theoretical and practical aspects of the theatre profession. Theatre ������ϲʹ���produces three or more productions every year and serves as a platform for community engagement as well a positive and professional learning environment.

Pictured: Aubrey Sierer ’16, Chef James DeSilvestri ’07, and Patrick Donegan ’18.
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By Patrick Donegan '18