Well, yes. And no… I guess it depends on who you ask. Either way, it makes for a boatload of fun and confusion.
“Is He Dead?” is the newest screenplay to be performed by OA’s Drama Club, and it’s a show you don’t wanna miss. Highly recommended to any person who favors comedy, mayhem, bad accents, or Limburger cheese, as they will be thoroughly pleased by the performance. Set in France, the play features the poor yet incredibly talented artist Jean Francois Millet, and his desperation to be good enough for his lover, Marie. Hounded by an evil debt collector, Millet is convinced by his ethnic friends to fake his own death and sell his paintings at a higher cost, and despite meticulous planning, nothing ever goes the way it’s supposed to.
I spoke with several cast members regarding their perception of the show and their characters, and all agreed that “Is He Dead?” is most definitely different from any previous Drama Club performance due to its comical nature and a very… diverse group of characters (it’s like the UN on stage!). Phelim O’Shaughnessy, portrayed by Erin Flagg, is your typical Irishman, complete with a “ladies man” charisma and the artistic skills of a toddler. Mr. Thorpe, a rather curious British picture dealer is played by Stephanie Kramer, and he has a good eye for art; so long as the artist is dead of course. It’s an issue of value of course. Even the famed and kind Marie herself has her moments of feminine wily, although to say isn’t the most progressive feminist of our time would be an understatement. Still, Katie Stapleton plays the damsel in distress to perfection, showcasing just how awfully queer (literally!) a woman can become when faced with great sorrow and another pretty face. And for moi? Catch me as Hans von Bismarck AKA Dutchy, a German man with a plan (and apparently no taste buds!).
Intrigued, delighted, or confuzzled? Come see the show! We promise that you’ll come away with a barrowful of bad puns, disgraceful (and borderline insulting) accents, and the feeling that your money has been well spent. Besides, the musical isn’t until the spring anyway, and what else is there to do? We’ll see you on December 1st, 2nd, and 3rd!