THE ONE ACT PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Set for March Run at Playful People Productions

Playful People Productions, a theater education nonprofit in San Jose, will present the uproarious comedy The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, under the direction of company Executive Director Tonya Suker and Christine Welsh-Buck.

The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong follows the antics of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, who are trying their very best to stage a production of a 1920s murder mystery. As the show's title might suggest, this is not as easy as it sounds! Hilarity ensues as eight characters try their best to “perform,” while props go missing, actors forget lines, and the cast starts to crack under the pressure. This is the one-act version of the hit production of The Play That Goes Wrong, written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields of Mischief Theatre Company, that opened in the United Kingdom in 2012. It won Best New Comedy at the 2015 Laurence Olivier Awards.

This show is supported in part by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San José, and by SVCreates, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara.

Playful People Productions was first founded in 2010 as a positive, inclusive, family-focused theatre company, and has operated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit since 2017. While initially providing classes, camps, and shows for kids, the company has grown to offer similar classes for adults, and stages multi-generational performances where family members can perform together.

Playful People Productions aims to create an environment where all feel welcome, and where creative impulses are encouraged by experienced Bay Area artists. The organization follows Positive Discipline guidelines as well as proven child education techniques; continually works to maximize the inclusion of all participants, volunteers, and staff; and regularly gives families the opportunity to share the exhilarating experience of performing together. During the nonprofit's tenure, they have enjoyed frequent instances of children performing on stage with siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents — and have also welcomed adults who wish to perform but find local theater auditions and rehearsals do not fit their needs.