With warm weather just around the corner, why not lift your damp spirits and give those abs a little workout? The University of Mississippi theatre department is now performing this season’s spring comedy, “Anton In Show Business,” at the Meek Auditorium from now until the end of February.
Ole Miss Theatre students during final dress rehearsal of “Anton in Show Business.” The show will run February 18-28 in Meek Auditorium. (Photo by: Deja Samuel)
“Anton,” written by Jane Martin, is a hilarious look into life in the theater and struggles of the stage. The play follows three actresses— Lisabette, Holly and Casey— as they pursue their dream of performing Anton Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters” at a small theater in San Antonio, Texas. As the three women navigate through the colorful world of American theater, meeting equally animated players in the preforming arts, they soon discover what “show business” is really all about.
“Since it’s a theater piece about how the theater works,” Dex Edwards the show’s director said. “They’ll get a good sense of how directors work with actors, how actors work in rehearsals and how rehearsals run or fall apart. They’ll think, ‘Oh, that’s what theater is like from the inside.’”
Every role is portrayed by a female actress, including the male roles.
“My favorite thing about the show is that it’s all women,” Mary Kate Halpin actress said. “I think this will really connect with viewers because women in comedy is such a hot topic and the women in the show are hilarious. They all do a great job of playing men and women equally.”
Actress Jordin Bell, who is the understudy for the show’s character ‘Casey,’ said she felt the same way.
“I think it’s incredible,” said Bell. “In many movies and television shows today, the majority of the main characters we are supposed to care about are men. I think it’s very important for people our age to see women in a different light.”
According to Edwards, the woman’s perspective and comedic elements in the play are part of what inspired the theater faculty committee to choose “Anton” as their next piece.
“The committee read a lot of plays,” Edwards said. “But, after reading Anton we said, ‘This is really funny and it’s all women.’ This worked because we also have many women in the theater department.”
The Ole Miss Theatre faculty’s committee is assigned to choose a season of shows each school year, and base their decisions around having a variety of shows.
“In the fall, the department did a classic musical from the ‘60s called ‘Hair,’” Edwards said.
“They also did a serious and edgy play titled ‘Teddy Ferrara’. And now, to continue that balance, we’re doing a contemporary comedy.”
“Anton In Show Business” will run until Feb. 28. Tickets can be purchased at the Student Box Office inside the Union.
