Play mixes comedy, fantasy and social commentary into a fast-paced onstage stew
It is not your usual stage play that blends a challenged marriage, Barbie dolls, a gigantic jar of peanut butter and a trip to Niagara Falls. But, it is safe to say that Wonder of the World was not created to exist in any “usual” category.
David Lindsay-Abaire’s joyride through modern American culture is the next Fine and Performing Arts production of Kirkwood Community College. The play is set for Ballantyne Auditorium Friday through Sunday, Feb. 13-15. Friday and Saturday night performances are 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday 2:30 p.m. matinee.
The play is directed by Rick D. Anderson, with stage design and direction by Doug Anderson and costumes by Annee Noah. Director Rick Anderson calls Wonder of the World an “exploration of people pushed to the edge,” literally and figuratively.
“The heroine, Cass discovers something highly disturbing about her husband and the marriage she thought they shared. This sends her on a journey that puts her into the company of some pretty unusual characters. Cass is on a frantic search for the life she thinks she missed out on. The playwright’s notions of what people want, what they think they want and what they eventually find makes for a powerful story. The students have found the play full of imagery and energy and we think the audience will find much to consider, too,” Anderson said.
Wonder of the World was presented in New York in a 2001-02 off-Broadway production starring Sarah Jessica Parker in the lead role of Cass. New York Times reviewer Ben Brantley commented in the play’s debut that “The evening… draws and deserves some hefty laughter. And there is ample evidence of Mr. Lindsay-Abaire’s knack for dialogue, in which non sequiturs suddenly fit together like the last pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.”Author David Lindsay-Abaire later won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in Drama for his play Rabbit Hole.
The play involves adult situations and language. Parental guidance is advised.
Tickets for the Kirkwood Performing Arts production of Wonder of the World are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students with current ID. Kirkwood students, faculty and staff are admitted free of charge. Advance tickets are available from Kirkwood Student Life, (319) 398-5578.