APPLETON, WIS. — The multiple roles played by members of a large Irish family, where frustrations and conflicts are tempered by genuine love and generosity, are examined in Lawrence University’s production of Lennox Robinson’s joyous comedy “The Whiteheaded Boy.
Performances are scheduled May 10-12 at 8 p.m. and May 13 at 3 p.m. in Stansbury Theatre of the Lawrence Music-Drama Center, 420 E. College Ave., Appleton. Tickets for “The Whiteheaded Boy,” at $10 for adults, $5 for students and senior citizens, are available through the Lawrence University Box Office, 920-832-6749.
Robinson, the author of more than two dozen plays, was among the founding members of The Abbey Theatre, the national theatre of Ireland, where “The Whiteheaded Boy” was first presented in 1916. The story centers on the twists and turns of how each member of the Geoghegan family struggles to keep Denis, the family’s “whiteheaded boy” — the traditional Irish designation for the spoiled son who can do no wrong — from failing medical school classes (again!) while his sisters wait patiently to marry and get on with their lives.
Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Timothy X. Troy, who will direct the production, spent time as a visiting professor at the Samuel Beckett School of Drama at Trinity College in Dublin in 2005. While there, the Abbey Theatre presented a well-received revival of Robinson’s play, “Drama at Inish,” which sent Troy searching for other Robinson plays that might be appropriate for a Lawrence production.
“‘The Whiteheaded Boy’ was a good match for our students,” said Troy. “This play includes a variety of themes that are close to the heart of any college student, including the desire for independence and the struggle to live up to family expectations while away at university.”
Chad Bay, a freshman from Sun Prairie, makes his Lawrence theatre department debut as the production’s title character.
