BWW Previews: YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU at San Marcos High School

The San Marcos High School Performing Arts Department presents

You Can't Take It With You

by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman

Directed by Riley Berris

Santa Barbara has, of late, embraced the joys and hardships of familial relationships strained by clashing personalities. Along with the consistently contentious relationships that mark the recent and upcoming Shakespeare productions by Ensemble, Naked Shakes, Westmont, and Litmoon, Dramadogs offered a lighter, more comedic take on the eccentric family in The Boondawgle Estate. In this vein of stylized farce that (ultimately) celebrates the value of peculiarity of character, director Riley Berris brings the classic weirdo parade from Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's You Can't Take it With You to the San Marcos stage.

You Can't Take it With You, which won the Pulitzer for drama in 1937, ran for over 800 performances on Broadway. The film adaptation garnered an Oscar for best picture. The story features the stressful premarital roadblock of introducing and blending two families: Alice and Tony are set to be married, but Alice fears that the extensive and bizarre network of Vanderhofs (and friends) that comprises her family will shock and appall the conservative sensibilities of Tony's parents.

Berris remarked upon the relevance of a script that remains clever and pertinent despite being written almost a century ago. The show's themes are love and acceptance--and the relatable feeling of being embarrassed of your family. Berris also noted that the large cast (19 student actors) offers increased production opportunity for students, both on stage and behind the scenes.

The Vanderhof family includes tax-evading Grandpa (Jason Gonzalez Larsen), and his unpublished writer daughter (Sophie Sanderfer) and fireworks manufacturing son-in-law (Ben McAvene). The couple's children include two daughters (Nyrie Mietzke and Lily McWhirter) and a son-in-law (Wesley Walker): Essie is a candy maker, and Ed a xylophonist (Alice has a more traditional office job). Alice's beau, Tony (Kai Kadlec), has a conventional job and traditionalist parents (Eddie O'Toole and Amanda Rocha); the young lovers fear their two families will never be able to see common ground. The cast also features Alex Shorb, Amanda Albrecht, Hayden St-Laurent, Luke Mullen, Jessica Rodriguez, Mayah Johnson, Alex Serrano, Jesse Parks, Sommer Fox and Alex Fell.

Berris says that because the majority of the characters are family members, the cast has grown close enough to foster space for exploration and commitment to character. "The most challenging part has been finding ways for the cast to completely commit and feel free in their choices and keep the technical aspects of the show, like beats and cues, exact and accurate," she says. "We had a couple rehearsals where we played with gestures and melodrama. The cast is all different ages and experience levels; each has their own brilliant side and it's been about finding out how to highlight each unique trait they have."

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

November 3rd, 4th, 5th at 7pm
November 6th at 2pm

San Marcos High School Theater.

Tickets $6 - $12

Buy tickets at: The door, online at shopsmroyals.org, or by phone at (805) 967- 4581

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