Jacksonville, Fla.—Jacksonville University’s Department of Theatre proudly presents “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” by Neil Simon, Feb. 16, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Swisher Theater on campus. An additional showing will be held on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. in Swisher. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, military and students. JU students and staff are admitted free.
The show, directed by Deborah Jordan, assistant professor of theatre arts, with set design by Brandon Lettow, lighting by New York designer Daniel Winters and costumes by Sally Pettegrew, gives a nostalgic look at television’s golden age.
Set in 1953, Simon's "flat-out funniest play in years" (Dennis Cunningham, CBS- TV), “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” re-creates the mayhem, neuroses, nonstop gags and constant one-upmanship of a team of brilliantly funny social misfits as they write “The Max Prince Show,” a weekly variety program.
Among the crew are Milt, the insult artist; Ira, the hypochondriac whose dream is to have a virus named after him; and Val, a Russian émigré‚ who takes a Berlitz course so he can curse without an accent. They are devoted to their boss, Max, a comic genius, a tyrant and a paranoiac with a heart of gold. But his penchant for tippling and popping too many pills is growing under the pressures of a rising McCarthyism, network executives and sponsors who want him to cut back his "too-smart" show and staff so that they can chase after the “Leave It to Beaver” and “Father Knows Best” audience.
Keeping up a running commentary on the writing, fighting and wacky antics is Simon's alter-ego Lucas Brickman.
For more information or to order tickets, call 904-256-7374.
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