Waubonsie to present 'Life of the Party'

A bookish braniac, Jean Hughes longs to be popular. When her family moves to a new town, she embraces the chance to reinvent her persona, transforming herself into the "Life of the Party."

The comedy, set in 1945, comes to Waubonsie Valley High School's main auditorium stage Thursday for a four-performance run.

Junior Kelsey Kacz plays Jean.

"I'm the third child, second daughter. I'm the brain of the family. Everyone else is popular and kind of high society," Kacz said. "In the minds of the family, I study, I'm the serious one."

Then Jean meets Mike, who convinces Jean she's both smart and fun-loving.

"He sweet-talks me," Kacz said.

Meanwhile, Jean's siblings are living through their own dramas.

There's the brother who chases every girl he meets, a sister who is a bubbly cheerleader and another sister whose social climbing aspirations have led to a crush on an elitist snob.

"All the while, the mom is trying to get into all the right social clubs," said Waubonsie technology and engineering teacher Thomas Ringrose, who is directing the show and serving as faculty adviser. "It's a fun, fun show. You've got a family moving to a new town and kind of redefining who they are."

Ringrose said the show, written by husband-and-wife team Marrijane and James Hayes, is not one he was familiar with at the outset.

But he grew fond of the script's comedic flourishes, still relevant today, and its light-hearted treatment of coming-of-age issues.

"It's about falling in love and making a fool of yourself for it," he said. "Dad is the straight man to all of this. He sets up everyone's jokes."

Ringrose said the play, which takes place before and after an eventful prom night, was originally written as three acts. But the Waubonsie version has rearranged it into two acts, separated by an intermission.

Kacz, who has been in a few other Waubonsie shows including last year's production of "The Secret Garden," said she especially appreciates how "Life of the Party" uses folksy phrases to comedic effect.

One character, she said, describes a shocking development as something that could "wilt my brows." And the character playing her brother at one point exclaims, "Great jumping geraniums!"

"Personally, comedy is my favorite to play in," she said. "I like making people laugh."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=269136">Director Ringrose on 'Life of the Party' <span class="date">[02/05/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>