Buffalo Rising Online

Nov 18th 2008, 12:00am By buffalorising

Whether you’re entertaining a dinner guest or having a sleep over, everyone’s experienced a bad guest - that person who won’t be invited back (unless they’re family and you have no choice). That happened to a man named Moss Hart back in the 1930s. Hart constantly collaborated with famed playwright George S. Kaufman and had just entertained Alexander Woollcott, a famous radio personality from that time period, and had quite a traumatic experience. From that, “The Man Who Came To Dinner” was born.

Hart was remarking to Kaufman what a horrid experience it was – Woollcott complained about the food, was mean to the servants, invited his own friends to tag along to the dinner, and then when he left, wrote in Hart’s guestbook that he had had a terrible time! Hart was mortified and while talking to Kaufman said something along the lines of, “wouldn’t it have been terrible if he broke his leg and had stayed for the summer?” They went right to work on a funny play that becomes progressively zanier as the dinner guest extends his stay.

The main character is based off of Woollcott but goes by the name of Sheridan Whiteside. Woollcott was a playwright, journalist, biographer, and millions listened to his subjective opinions on public taste on the radio air waves. He was hated and loved and his celebrity status only grew until he died in 1943 and sadly, he has been mostly forgotten. He’s best remembered for being the basis for Sheridan Whiteside, who in the play is a famous socialite and radio personality.

Whiteside goes to the home of Ernest Stanley, a wealthy factory owner, and his family in the play for dinner, where he slips on a patch of ice and injures himself on his way in to the home. With just weeks away till Christmas in Mesalia, Ohio as the setting, this play is a perfect compliment to the holiday season. The American Repertory Theater will put on an excellent production at a very affordable cost. Tickets are just $15 for the general public and $12 for students and veterans.

The play will be directed by Jeanne Cairns and the cast is as follows: Chris Standart, Lisa Ludwig Kramer, Kelly Ferguson Moore, Doug Crane, Jeffery Coyle Alaina Miller, Darleen Pickering Hummert, Jennifer Fitzery, Dan Greer, Kathleen Bestko Yale, Jim Maloy Timothy Voit, John Kaczorowski Lisa DelVeccio., JR Finan, Ian Cap and Ronald Leonardi. The play will run from November 29th until December 21st. For show times or to make reservations, visit their website or call 884-4858 between 9 AM until 4 PM.