W.S. Gilbert's "Engaged" - August 2009

As summer winds down, the New Embassy Theatre is presenting the late 1800s three-act British comedy Engaged by W.S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan).  In this whimsical look at a man who is quick to profess his love for almost any woman he meets, the audience is taken to the Lowlands of the Scottish borderland, where Cheviot Hill (played by Tom Shanklin, center) asks not one, but three women to marry him -- Minnie Symperson, Maggie MacFarlane, and Belinda Treherne (left to right: Cyndi Pownall, Kedra Gowans, and Marta Fiscus).  But because the laws in Scotland are different than in England, when Cheviot and one of the women simply say in front of witnesses that they are husband and wife, they actually are legally married although they don't know it.  But wait!  Is the cottage where they made this announcement really in Scotland after all, or is it just across the border in England?  You'll find out in this hilarious take on social mores of the British Isles in days gone by.  We also hear from Peter Schmitz, a visiting actor from New York, who portrays Minnie's father, about his theatrical experiences and what he thinks of performing in the Cumberland area.

Show dates are August 7-9, 14-16, and 21-23, with Friday and Saturday shows at 7:30 and Sunday matinees at 2:30.  Regular ticket prices are $18 adults, $16 students and seniors, but if you listen during this podcast for "The Phrase That Pays," mention it at the ticket window or when calling [phone] for reservations, and your show tickets will be discounted to $12!  Click the POD link above and your download should take just a few minutes.

Running time: about 23 minutes.