MIDDLEBURY — Town Hall Theater’s Young Company presents “The School For Scandal” by restoration playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan next week, Tuesday, Aug. 22 and Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m.
This is the second Young Company production of the summer following on the heels of “Annie.” The comedy is directed by THT’s Education Director Lindsay Pontius and Kendra Gratton.
Actors in the Young Company ensemble range in age from 12 to 25 years old. Together they learn about the style of restoration comedy, including the language of fans and gestures. The company has been spending a lot of time recently developing the vocal capacity to handle deceptively flowery language that is actually chock full of gossip and insults.
“This play is really fun with characters named Lady Sneerwell and Benjamin Backbite,” said Pontius. “We are having a ball adapting the restoration style to a more modern approach. It’s like ‘Gossip Girl’ meets ‘I Love Lucy.’”
Gianna Kiehl, who is in her third year at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is coaching the cast in restoration acting. Kiehl spent the last year in London mastering the style and has great insight into the form.
“It is very different from plays we have done so far. It is complicated but also funny and witty,” said Sophie Pope McCright who is in her third Young Company production.
Alongside Kiehl and McCright the cast includes: Jack Desbois, Merry Kimble, Theo Wells-Spackman, Jack Wallace, Akhila Khanna, Katie Isham, Anders Bright, Cathy Dyer, Griffin Schneider, Talin Teague, Devyn Pratt and Andrew Trombley.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for ages 12 and under. Tickets may be purchased at townhalltheater.org, (802) 382-9222, at the THT box office, or at the door Monday-Saturday, 12-5 p.m. or one hour before show time.