Havre High thespians put on classic comedy

Havre Daily News/Lindsay Brown

Amanda Dolph dances around as Essie, while Penny, played by Larissa Price, watches Tuesday afternoon during rehearsal of "You Can't Take it With You" at the Havre High School auditorium.

The Havre High School acting troupe is ready to raise the curtain on its winter production, opening the award-winning play "You Can't Take it With You" Thursday night, with additional performances Friday and Saturday.

The large cast — 20 roles — has a mix of veteran Havre High and Montana Actors' Theatre thespians to others performing in their first high school play.

The play, written by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman in 1936, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1937.

It was transferred to the big screen in 1938, with Frank Capra directing Jimmy Stewart, Lionel Barrymore and Jean Stewart in the movie version. The movie won the Oscars for best picture and best director and was nominated for five more.

The story tells the tale of the son of a wealthy banker falling in love with a girl from an eccentric family who cares more about having fun and making friends than making money.

When the family of Tony Kirby meets the family of his fianceé and stenographer, Alice Sycamore, comic chaos ensues.

Written during the depths of the Great Depression, the look at what matters in life won instant acclaim.

The play opens in the Havre High School Theatre at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for Havre High students and senior citizens, and $2 for children in kindergarten through eighth-grade.

Havre High cast and crew, "You Can't Take it With You"

Penny Sycamore — Larissa Price

Essie — Amanda Dolph

Rheba — Mina Everingham

Paul Sycamore — Bryant O'Leary

Mr. De Pinna — Raymond Campbell

Ed — Patrick Leeds

Donna — Hailee Kilgore

Martin Vanderhof — Bill Dolph

Alice — Jessa Pyette

Henderson — Adrienne Miller

Tony Kirby — Desmond Fialkosky

Borya Kolenkhov — Savannah Belcourt

Gay Wellington — Maddie Hanson

Mr. Kirby — Mike Woronik

Mrs. Kirby — Oriah Pratt

Olga Katarina — Jess Wiken

Govt. Agents — Adrienne Miller, Raynell Clancy, Jacob Holden, Kody Hickman

Director — Jay Pyette

Stage Manager — Samantha French

Lights Op — Nick Keeler

Costumes — Angela Pratt, Jessa Pyette