Masquers to have a comedy this weekend

Shows start Friday

SOAP LAKE - It's going to be a comedy this weekend for Masquers Theater.

The theater group will perform "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" The play opens at 8 p.m. on Friday and runs on Friday and Saturday nights until Nov. 22. There also are three Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. on Nov. 2, 9 and 16. Tickets cost $15.

Masquers is located at Masquers Theater on 322 Main Ave. E. in Soap Lake.

The play focuses on a Roman slave named Pseudolus, played by Randy Brooks. Pseudolus is trying to win his freedom. He does this by trying to help his owner, Hero, win the heart of Philia. Hero is played by Darryl Pheasant.

"Last year we had a serious drama," Director Cheri Barbre said. "So it was time for just the zaniest comedy we could come up with. Everybody right at the moment needs to laugh. That's our goal is to have the audience laugh."

She said the cast will be ready to deliver those laughs on opening night. Pheasant said it's different to play a character who is so much younger than he is.

"He's just a 20-year-old young boy who has his own slave, who falls in love for the first time and who is quite naive," he said. "I get to just frolic around and sing a lot of songs and be in love."

Holding up the one-piece tunic he wears in the play, Pheasant said there are some things he has to learn.

"The one thing I have to learn that I haven't practiced yet is learning to not flash the audience," he said. "I got special clothes to try and have a little modesty here."

This is change from Pheasant's last role as Titus Savage in "The Curious Savage," he said. He played a mean, greedy politician.

"Now I get to play something different," he said.

Pheasant grew his hair long to play the part of Hero. He said he isn't used to having his hair be this long.

"It's been driving me crazy," he said. "I was just at a conference over at Spokane and the other treasurers didn't recognize me. They don't usually see me with this mop head."

Pheasant said the play was what people were looking for at this time.

"This play is going to hit the mark," he said. "It's going to be a style of comedy that I think is going to be very well received by our normal market of people who come visit plays."

For more information, call 509-246-2611.