Wright State Theatre Presents KARENS: A Comedy Of Very Bad Manners

Acclaimed actor, director and professor at Wright State University, Bruce Cromer, is leaping recklessly into the current social moment in every imaginable way with his new adaptation of Moliere's class comedy, The Learned Ladies. His new version is called "KARENS: a comedy of bad manners" and premiers as a free video-only production on YouTube February 26-28.

Moliere's comedy was social satire, with some comic stereotypes borrowed from Commedia del Arte; this hour-long look at the lunacies of our past year is in that vein, complete with iambic-pentameter-couplets and quarantines. All students in the production are filming online from across the United States and Canada. Cromer is even editing the video himself. Written as a contemporary verse drama, and riddled with up-to-the-minute references to politics, social media, gender identity, COVID and every other early-2021 crisis, KARENS brings Moliere's biting satire and nimble linguistic wit to life for a new age.

Like Moliere's original, KARENS deals with the hypocrisy of righteous family members rejecting a daughter's new love for pious reasons. Without giving away too many of the surprises, you can count on naughty innuendos and biting satire of folks who may seem as familiar as your neighbors, or even your own family. The title refers to those suburban women who claim openness and acceptance, but who reveal their hypocrisy when put to the test.

Director and Adapter, Bruce Cromer, says "Writing a Moliere-esque social satire, in rhymed verse, has been a delight. Working with this cast of Senior, Junior and Sophomore BFA Acting majors has given me joy and constant laughter during our virtual rehearsals. And we're all doing something brand new, a world premiere, including the way we're acting, filming/recording, and editing the production. It's a brave new world for this 64-year-old stage actor, who never directed a film before, not even for the internet..."

The student cast includes: Dylan Roll, Branden Fisher, Hailey Marshall, Dani Nissen, Abbey Fry, Katie Carter, Tina Hohman, Amy Vandyke, Camille Carmichael, Megan Ledford, Sophie Hardy, and Chap Hollin. The stage manager is Mariana Gonzalez.

Like the rest of Wright State's Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures season, KARENS is a performance pivot in response the health restrictions brought on by COVID-19. In addition to KARENS, we'll present two streaming musicals, two classic dramas, two streaming dance concerts, an outdoor student works festival and the Big Lens Film Festival.

The production will stream on YouTube from February 26-28. Viewing is free, with donations gladly accepted at: https://liberal-arts.wright.edu/theatre-dance-and-motion-pictures/give-to-theatre-dance-and-motion-pictures We encourage you to contribute to the Theatre Arts Fund.

Viewing link will be available through www.wright.edu/tdmp box office tab.

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