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JEFFERSON DAILY COUNTY UNION - A Fort Atkinson resident has been cast in an important role in the play, "The Rivals," to be presented at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Paul Breitsprecher, 415 E Sherman Avenue, will portray the character Sir Anthony Absolute, the tyrannical father of the play's hero, in the UW-Whitewater production of the 18th century comedy by Richard Brindley Sheridan. The play will be presented at 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 28, in the Barnett Theatre of the campus Center of the Arts building. Charles Glover, a professor in the theatre department at Whitewater, will direct the production. Sir Anthony, one of Sheridan's great comic creations in the play, is a majestically comic dullard. Brusque, dogmatic and wealthy, he is accustomed to being treated with respect despite his transcendent absurdity. Breitsprecher, who holds a masters degree in theatre has been active in Fort Atkinson community theatre productions. He is a regular contributor to UW-Whitewater theatre productions. Recently, he has appeared in "A Shot in the Dark,' portraying the bumbling Inspector LaBlanche; and "Scapino!" He played Signor Geronte, another foolish-type father figure last spring in "Scapino!" He also appeared in the UW-Whitewater production of "Madwoman of Chaillot," in which he portrayed the sewerman. Breitsprecher is a member of the learning resources faculty at Whitewater. Nourished by a steady diet of romantic novels, the young and beautiful Lydia Languish concludes that in order to find true love, she must forsake her wealth and status and marry a poor man. In order to win her hand, Captain Jack Absolute therefore poses as a poor young officer, Ensign Beverley
More on The RivalsFrustrated by Lydia's attachment to the penniless Beverley, Lydia's aunt Mrs. Malaprop arranges for other suitors to divert Lydia's attentions. The romance between Lydia and Jack Absolute/Beverley is further endangered when Jack's father, Sir Anthony Absolute, announces he has arranged a marriage of wealth and status for his son. At the same time, Mrs. Malaprop, under the pen-name "Delia," finds herself entangled in a love affair through letters with the Irishman Sir Lucius O'Trigger. Lydia's cousin Julia also finds herself in her own confusing love affair with the fervent though somewhat capricious Faulkland. As the lovers quarrel, the various and varied suitors prepare to duel. Life and love is saved only by the unraveling of each character's true identity and epiphanies about the true meaning of love.
[ Top ] Synopsis from: http://www.shakespearedc.org/rivsyn.html |
