FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Janeve West

Production Director

“Reason has driven all reasoning out!” Moliere storms the stage at Monmouth College.

Monmouth, IL (September 10, 2010) – The Monmouth College Theatre Department is proud to present Moliere’s classic Comedy of Manners, The Learned Ladies. Productions will run September 30 through October 2 at 7:30pm in the Wells Theater. Performances will follow with a matinee on Sunday, the 3rd at 2:00. Tickets are $6 for adults; $5 for students and seniors and $4 with an MC ID.

As fresh and funny today as when in premiered on the Paris stage in 1672, Moliere’s hilarious combination of odd characters offers a story of lies, gossip, romance and intrigue wrapped in verbal swordplay. His humor is not without purpose though; the satire is filled with jabs against pretense, frivolity, false behavior, charlatans and generally anyone who feels a bit higher on the food chain than their fellow man.

The plot is standard for Moliere. Chrysale (Nick Dadds) is reluctantly pitted against his bossy wife Philaminte (Ariel Guerrero), manipulated by his daughter Armande (Emily Frazer) and bewildered by his sister Belisa (Ivy Bekker). The women have established a salon of learned ladies in his household and overrun his previously tranquil life. Such a salon would be all well and fine, especially in this age of reason, but all is revealed to be a sham; merely a ruse to cover mindless social climbing and manipulation. In true Moliere fashion, the charlatan Monsieur Trissotin (Mike Carioto) has infiltrated the house in hope of marrying Chrysale’s youngest daughter Henriette (Mary Bohlander) even though she is in love with the dashing Clitandre (Austin Wearsch). Philaminte is so obsessed with the intellectual lifestyle, and so taken by the lavish compliments of Trissotin that she insists on their marriage and dreams for the day when she will open her own academy. Armande is no support to her sister, and with a good deal of snark and sarcasm plots with her mother an aunt to rid the world of words and syllables that are offensive to the ear. The pursuit of intellect, not love, is such a focus in this salon that Philaminte has fired the fiery kitchen maid (Karissa Inman) and abused the house maid, (Kelly Klikas) for her inability to control her own center of gravity (she seems to be a bit clumsy). Meanwhile, Chrysale’s dutiful brother Ariste (Alex Nall) prods Chrysale to reclaim the helm of his household! The pressure is heightened when Vadius (Patrick LeBlank) accuses Trissotin of plagiarism and the Notary (Roy Sye) arrives to put the marriage in writing. Poor Chrysale’s formerly tranquil life is turned upside down, and amidst the scattering of books he finally breaks and cries, “thinking is all this household thinks about, and reasoning has driven all reason out!”

Though some would say The Learned Ladies, one of Moliere’s most popular pieces, is a battle of the sexes or an argument against the education of women. Such an interpretation does not hold much weight against Moliere’s use of this satire as a vehicle for discussing social pretense, class differences, and any social convention which seems to distract society from the pursuit of those things which are truly important; love and family. Prepare for fast paced, witty dialogue, terrible puns and double entendres as you watch our play resolve. And don’t worry, in typical Moliere style, everyone gets what they deserve.

Set in a 17th century Paris salon The Learned Ladies is one of the last great works by this comic master and one not to be missed on the Monmouth College stage. No better way to say Happy Birthday to the Wells Theatre than to begin the season with this uproarious comedy. Audiences are invited to stay for a post-show Q and A with the cast following the Thursday production and to attend the Pre-Show discussion on Sunday, October 3 at 1:00 pm. In this free pre-show discussion, students from MC’s Modern Foreign Language Department will offer perspectives on the era of Moliere and the influence of King Louis XIV. Refreshments provided.

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Contact: Janeve West, Production Director/Publicity Manager - jwest@monm.edu