Western Connecticut In Danbury Stages 'You Can't Take It With You'

Shows will be at the MainStage Theatre of the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Ext. in Danbury.

Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26; 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28, and March 6 and 7; with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday, March 7; and Sunday, March 1 and 8.

Tickets will be $20 for the public and $15 for seniors and non-WCSU students, plus fees. 

Written in 1936 by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, the play won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It ran from December 1936 through December 1938 on Broadway.

A film version directed by Frank Capra won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director in 1939. A Broadway revival starring James Earl Jones in autumn 2014 was heralded as a New York Times “Critics’ Pick.” 

John Hickok will serve as guest director for this production. A professional actor and director for more than 30 years, Hickok has acted in the Broadway musicals “Little Women,” “Aida” and “Parade.” He’s also directed a number of shows nationwide, as well as the London premiere of “Burning Blue,” which was nominated for two Olivier Awards.

The male roles in the cast will be portrayed by WCSU students LeRoy Walton, of Hamden, as Grandpa; Brodey Ott, of Stratford, as Paul; Mary Joy, of Enfield, as Mr. DePinna; Ryan Jepsen, of Stratford, as Ed; Noah Todd, of Waterford, as Tony Kirby; Matt Goncalves, of Danbury, as Donald; TJ Swetz, of Poughquag, N.Y., as Boris Kolenkhov; Joseph DeVellis, of Newtown, as Mr. Kirby; Jake Capelli, of West Haven, as Henderson; Brendon Boyd, of Worcester, Mass., as The Man; and Jeffrey Jannitto, of Hamden, and Connor Thompson, of Ledyard, as the two G-Men.

The female roles will be played by WCSU students Aimee M’Sadoques, of Waterbury, as Penny; Brittany Wigglesworth, of Westbrook, as Essie; Shaylen Harger, of Woodbridge, as Alice; Megan O’Callaghan, of Norwalk, as Rheba; Kim Lustig, of Madison, as Gary Wellington; Brianna Bagley, of Stafford Springs, as Mrs. Kirby; and Ally Olinyk, of East Haven, as Olga.

For tickets or information, call the Box Office at 203-837-TIXX or go to www.wcsu.edu/tickets.

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