Wright State Theatre opens new season with comedic farce ‘The Liar’

Wright State Theatre will open its 2023–24 season with “The Liar,” a comedic farce adapted by playwright David Ives, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8 in the Festival Playhouse. (Photos by Erin Pence)

Wright State University Theatre will open its 2023–24 season with “The Liar,” a comedic farce adapted by playwright David Ives, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8 in the Festival Playhouse in the Creative Arts Center.

Performances are Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 1, 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 1, 7 and 8 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and $15 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the Creative Arts Center box office between noon and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or at wrightliberalarts.universitytickets.com.

“The Liar” is Ives’ modern adaptation of the 17th-century French play “Le Menteur” by Pierre Corneille. Ives has described his spin on the play as “translaptation” — part translation, part adaptation.

“The Liar” is about a man who can never tell the truth. The play features mistaken identity, wily servants, foolish masters and complicated romance.

Ives is an American playwright, screenwriter and novelist perhaps best known for his comic one-act plays. He has also written dramatic plays, narrative stories, and screenplays and adapted French 17th- and 18th-century classical comedies and 33 musicals for New York City’s Encores! Series.

Wright State Theatre’s production is directed by Josh Aaron McCabe, associate professor of acting at Wright State, who called “The Liar” a “delightfully fun escape.”

“It’s a joy to be a part of a rehearsal process where we inevitably end up laughing as we work,” he said. “Creating a production is always demanding for everyone involved. The work can be tedious during the long hours that go into the days, evenings and weekends. But when that same show is also inviting us to use our imaginations and laugh together, it becomes much easier to go to work. It also helps to have an incredibly dedicated company of actors, stage managers, designers, creative and production teams.”

“The Liar” marks McCabe’s Festival Playhouse debut. He recently directed “The Laramie Project” and “Circle Mirror Transformation” in the Herbst Studio Theatre. A professional actor, McCabe was most recently seen at Human Race Theatre Company in “Barbeque” during the 2022–23 season.

Director Josh Aaron McCabe, associate professor of acting at Wright State, called “The Liar” a “delightfully fun escape.”

“The Liar” features scenic design by guest artist Michael Brewer, costume design by Zoe Still, instructor of costume design; lighting design by Alexander Markley, a theatre design and technology major; sound design by James Dunlap; and dialect work by Deborah Thomas, professor of theatre.

On the stage, “The Liar” features Aidan Fracker as Dorante, Taylor Greny as Cliton, John Cuozzo as Geronte, Aliya Pimental as Clarice, Lucy Rocchio as Lucrece, Blaise Duncan-Bevans as Alcippe, Desmond Kingston as Philiste and Shannon Lane as Isabelle/Sabine.

2023–24 theatre season continues

Next up in Wright State Theatre’s season is “Kelly the Destroyer vs The Springfield Cobras,” which runs Oct. 20–29 in the Herbst Theatre. The season also includes: