News

April 23, 2018

“The School for Lies”, 5th Play of 90th Season, Opens May 4 at Schenectady Civic Players

The fifth play of Schenectady Civic Players’ 90^th Anniversary Season, The School for Lies by David Ives and directed by Chris Foster, opens Friday, May 4, and plays through Sunday, May 13 at its 12 South Church Street Playhouse in Schenectady’s historic Stockade district.

Adapted from Molière’s The Misanthrope, David Ives’s The School for Lies tells the comic tale of Frank, who shares with Molière’s Alceste a venomous hatred of the hypocrisy that surrounds him. Borrowing from Shakespeare, reality TV, and everything in between, The School for Lies is an inspired entertainment as well as a pointed study in self-delusion, all rendered in sparkling couplets.

It’s 1666 and the brightest, wittiest salon in Paris is that of Celimene, a beautiful young widow so known for her satiric tongue she been sued for it. Surrounded by shallow suitors, whom she lives off of without surrendering to, Celimene has managed to evade love since her beloved husband died- until today, when Frank appears. A traveler from England known for his own coruscating wit and acidic misanthropy, he turns her world upside-down, taking on her suitors, matching her barb for barb, and teaching her how to live again. A wild farce of furious tempo and stunning verbal display.

The Civic Players cast features Jason Biszick (as Frank), Jennifer Lefsyk (as Celimene), Nick Bosanko (as Philinte), Angelique Powell (as Eliante), Rich Angehr (as Oronte), David Rook (as Clitander), Aileem Penn (as Acaste), Nicolle Galligan (as Arsinoe), and Jean Carney (as Basque/Dubois).

The School for Lies runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (May 4, 5, and 6) and Wednesday through Sunday (May 9 through 13).  Friday and Saturday curtains are at 8 pm. Wednesday and Thursday curtains are at 7:30 pm., and Sundays are matinees only at 2:30 pm.

Tickets are $20.  Order on-line at www.civicplayers.org   Or call (518) 382-2081 .