"Black Comedy" at Wheaton Drama

Wheaton Drama is presenting Peter Shaffer's farce, Black Comedy.

Set in 1965, Black Comedy sees struggling artist Brindsley Miller expecting a visit from his fiancée's pompous father and a wealthy art dealer on the same night. Desperate to impress, Brindsley decorates his apartment with objects d'arte and furniture "borrowed" from an antique collector neighbor who is out of town. A blown fuse plunges Brindsley's apartment into darkness just as the neighbor returns unexpectedly. Surprise guests, a teetotalling spinster, errant phone cords, and other snares impede Brindsley's attempts to return the purloined items before light is restored.

The cast is: Jamie Barrett of Bartlett as Carol Melkett; Angelicque Cate of Elgin as Miss Furnival; Geoffrey Maher of Arlington Heights as Harold Gorringe; R.J. Ogren of Naperville as Schuppanzigh; Sean Ogren of Villa Park as Brindsley Miller; Tom Viskocil of Woodridge as Colonel Melkett; Leah Rae Witt of Hanover Park as Clea; Bruce Worthel of North Aurora as Georg Bamberger.

Randall W. Knott of Montgomery is directing, assisted by stage manager Amy Johnson of Lombard. Don Dumper of Carol Stream is the production manager.

Performances of Black Comedy are March 23 through April 15. No show Easter Sunday. Shows are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $13 for Thursdays and $16 Fridays-Sundays. Black Comedy is licensed by Samuel French, Inc.

Wheaton Drama's 2011-2012 season will conclude with the musical comedy, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (5/25-6/17).

Wheaton Drama's productions are staged at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale Street in downtown Wheaton.

For show tickets and information, please visit http://www.wheatondrama.org, or call 630-260-1820. Follow on Twitter at WDIpublicity.