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Paynesville Press - May 17, 2006

PAHS thespians stage 1930s comedy

By Michael Jacobson

Seventeen PAHS thespians staged the award-winning comedy, "You Can't Take It With You," last weekend in the school auditorium.

The play, which won a Pulitzer Prize, was written in 1936 and set in New York City. It later was made into a movie, which won the Academy AwardŽ for Best Picture in 1938.

It centers around the eccentric house of Martin Vanderhof (Dugan Flanders), who is a retired grandfather who used to work on Wall Street and has a house near Columbia University. He likes snakes, to go to commencement addresses, to talk to policemen, and to shoot darts.

His eccentric family includes his daughter Penny Sycamore (Karla Leitzman), who is an aspiring playwright because a typewriter was delivered to the house by mistake eight years earlier. After taking two years to learn how to type, she is in the midst of several plays. His son-in-law Paul Sycamore (Ralph Daby) makes fireworks in the basement with Mr. DePinna (Dillon Herem) who delivered ice to the house eight years previously and stayed.

The Sycamores have two daughters: Essie Carmichael (Lindsey Pelton), who makes candy and takes ballet lessons and is married to Ed Carmichael (Ezra Thompson), who prints things and plays the xylophone; and Alice Sycamore (Mary Keller), who works in a real office and falls in love with her boss's son. A clash of cultures occurred when her romantic interest Tony Kirby (Peder Thompson) brings his parents (Shawn Reinke and Caitlin Lien) to visit the Vanderhof home.

Despite being arrested for the illegal production of fireworks, nearly thwarting the prospective marriage, Vanderhof eventually persuades Anthony Kirby (Reinke) that he should enjoy life. After all, he tells him, "You can't take it with you."

Cast of Characters
You Can't Take It With You

Martin Vanderhof: Dugan Flanders
Alice Sycamore: Mary Keller
Penny Sycamore: Karla Leitzman
Paul Sycamore:Ralph Daby
Tony Kirby: Peder Thompson
Anthony Kirby: Shawn Reinke
Mirian Kirby: Caitlin Lien
Essie Carmichael: Lindsey Pelton
Ed Carmichael:Ezra Thompson
Rheba the Maid:Lauren Vaske
Donald the Butler: Brad Hemmesch
Boris Kolenkhov: Harrison Fangmeier
Talulah Wellington: Jayna Flanders
Henderson: David Ruprecht
Olga Katrina: Katie Schlick
Mr. DePinna:Dillon Herem
Police Detective:Jeremy Schmidt
Director: Jane Leitzman
Set: Ken Vork
Sound and Lights:Mike Putzke and Jeremy Schmidt



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