Theatre North begins season with classic comedy Oct. 20

By TOM STANKARD

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Ironwood — Theatre North is continuing its 53-year-old tradition of providing community entertainment by presenting three shows this season.

The season begins with the classic American comedy “You Can’t Take it With You,” directed by Helen Fashbaugh.

In the play, set in 1936, Alice Sycamore and Toby Kirby Jr. fall in love. When Kirby proposes, Sycamore fears of introducing her “crazy” family to the “snobby” Kirbys.

There are fireworks thrown in when the IRS threatens Grandpa because he doesn’t believe in income tax. Mayhem is added in the form of a xylophone, printing press, ballet and snakes, making it one of the most popular comedies of modern time, Fashbaugh said.

“It’s a very popular play,” she said. “It’s upbeat, it’s warm it’s funny. It’s just great fun.”

Show times for the performance are from Oct. 20-23 and Oct. 29-30. A total of 18 actors and actresses will perform in the play.

While directing so many performers can be a challenge, Fashbaugh said the experience has been rewarding.

“It’s going well. They’re all really good, accommodating people,” she said. “We’re working very hard.”

Behind the scenes, Brian Mesun has been designing the art to go along with the play. Also, Edward Lakner has been working on building the set. In charge of costumes is Andrea Harrison.

The second performance will be a joint effort with the Historic Ironwood Theatre, as the Claudettes are back with “A Sleigh Ride with the Claudettes,” directed by Cindy Franck.

The family variety show will be performed at the HIT Dec. 8-11. The holiday extravaganza will feature Santa, music, dancers, bands, choirs, Frosty, Tick and Tock and the Claudettes.

Finishing the season in April will be “And Then There Were None,” an Agatha Christie mystery. The performance will be directed by Beth Bordner. In the play, 10 strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion. At dinner, a message accuses each person of having a guilty secret.

By the end of the night, one of them is dead. While they are haunted by a nursery rhyme, one by one, they begin to die.

Since 1964, theatre board member Connie Pricco said Theatre North has a “proud and long history in Ironwood and across the Gogebic Range.” She said it has survived many challenges to become one of the one of the oldest community theaters in the United States.

Currently, the theater is encouraging people to become patrons. For more information, contact Pricco at 906-364-9035.