Sandhills_Sentinel

The O’Neal Players will be performing the “The Curious Savage” by John Patrick. A comedic play that premiered in 1950 at the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway.

A local sanatorium called “The Cloisters” is the setting for five colorful residents. Fairy May is a plain girl who has a hard time differentiating fantasy from truth, but sees herself as a person of great beauty. Jeff is a concert pianist and military veteran who believes that he was horribly wounded in the war, even though he survived unscathed the plane crash that killed all his men.

Florence dotes on a doll as if it were her 5-year-old living son who actually had died at infancy. Hannibal is a statistician who lost his reason after being replaced by an electronic calculator and was not able to find work. He thinks he is a concert violinist, even though he cannot play the violin.

Mrs. Paddy, who had been told by her husband to “shut up” years before, rarely speaks except to shout out protracted lists of things she hates – including electricity, which she has given up for Lent. She considers herself a great artist, though painting style is simplistic.

Mrs. Savage, the widow of a millionaire, has set-up a memorial fund with her money in order to help average people pursue their dreams. Her three stepchildren has her committed to “The Cloisters” on the basis of her eccentric behavior – all as a scandalous plan to take her money.

When the three step children leave, Mrs. Savage introduces herself to the five residents and tells them of her escapades in the theater before they all leave for Garden Hour. She then reveals to Miss Willie, her nurse, and Dr. Emmett, her doctor that she has hidden the money that her stepchildren were trying to take from her.

The play stars junior Jenna Burns as Ethel P. Savage along with juniors Akari Kawasaki as Miss Willie, Andrew Phan as Titus Savage, and Hannah Burns as Lily Belle.  Dr. Emmett is played by senior Andrew Shoecraft Martin, joined by seniors Maddie Gutschmit as Hannibal, Hanna Fitzgerald as Florence and David Lewis as Judge Samuel Savage. Rounding out the cast are sophomores Molly Mansker as Fairy, Andrew Lewis as Jeff and Sydney Maynor as Mrs. Paddy. 

Performances are at the Hannah Activities Center Theater at 7pm on April 27th and 28th and 6pm on Sunday, April 29th.  Admission is free to O’Neal students and tickets for all others are $5 at the door. 

Feature photo: The O’Neal Players rehearse “The Curious Savage” (L-R) Maddie Gutschmit, Megan Mansker, Jenna Burns and Hanna Fitzgerald.

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