John Opalenik to Perform in University of Mount Union Theater Performance

2012 Feb 13

John Opalenik of Cleveland, Ohio will perform in You Can't Take It With You, a classic American comedy by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, on February 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. in the Rodman Playhouse on the University of Mount Union's campus.

Opalenik will perform as G-Men in the theatre production. He is a freshman history major at Mount Union and a graduate of Cuyahoga Heights Local School.

You Can't Take It With You is about the Sycamores, a very crazy but loving family whose members are likely to be doing the most bizarre things such as practicing ballet, making fireworks or snake hunting at any time of the day or night. The young Alice Sycamore is engaged to Tony Kirby, her rich boss's son. Alice invites the very proper and dignified Kirbys (Tony's parents) to dinner so that the two families can meet each other, but when the Kirbys show up on the wrong night, hilarious mayhem ensues. Alice, fearing that the two families could never be compatible, calls off the marriage. But in a confrontation between Tony's father and Alice's grandfather, both Mr. Kirby and Alice come to realize that it may be the Kirby's who are crazy, and the Sycamores who have figured out what life is all about. All ends happily, as Alice and Tony renew their plans to marry, and Mr. Kirby learns to "just relax," and let life happen.

Dr. Doug Hendel, professor of theatre at Mount Union, is not only directing this semester's play production, but he also is playing the lead role of Alice's grandfather, Martin Vanderhof. Hendel will be retiring at the end of this academic year, following a successful and rewarding 30 years of service to the institution.

The Rodman Playhouse is located on the corner of Simpson Street and Union Avenue on Mount Union's campus. Tickets are $8 for general admission. Tickets are complimentary for Mount Union faculty, staff and students. For more information or to order tickets, call (330) 821-2565.

About the University of Mount Union

The University of Mount Union, founded in 1846, is a four-year, private institution grounded in the liberal arts tradition. Mount Union offers an array of broad-based and career-specific undergraduate and graduate programs to its 2,200 students who experience outstanding opportunities for success after graduation. Ranked as one of America's Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, the University is committed to providing a student-centered approach and an exceptional educational experience, as evidenced by its mission to prepare students for fulfilling lives, meaningful work and responsible citizenship. The University's 115-acre campus is located in Alliance, Ohio, 80 miles of both Cleveland and Pittsburgh, and more than $100 million has been invested in the construction and renovation of modern facilities throughout the course of the past decade. For more information, visit www.mountunion.edu.