Holy Cross Theatre Department to Present 'The Royal Family'

theatre department will present “The Royal Family,” written by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber and directed by Steve Vineberg, Distinguished Professor of Arts and Humanities. The performances will be held in Fenwick Theatre, located on the second floor of O’Kane Hall, on March 30–31, April 1, April 6–8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $7 for members of the Holy Cross community and $10 for the general public and can be reserved by calling the box office at 508-793-2496.

“The Royal Family” is an American comedy classic about three generations of a famous theatrical family – fascinating narcissists whose offstage lives teem with melodrama. The matriarch Fanny is preparing to come out of retirement while her celebrated daughter Julie, and her granddaughter Gwen, a rising star, struggle with their shared desire to give up the stage for a normal domestic life. Then there’s Julie’s brother Tony, a whirling dervish who whips in and out of their lives whenever he’s in retreat from his latest scandal.

“The conflict in the play is between the life of the theatre, to which the three generations of actors are devoted, and the appeal of the calmer, saner lifestyle of home and family for both Julia and her granddaughter Gwen,” explained Vineberg. “They believe temporarily that they want to settle down with the men they love, only to find that any other choice pales in comparison with the exciting, rollercoaster theatrical life.”

In addition to the complexity and entertainment value of the play, Vineberg hopes that the actors and audience will enjoy the exposure to a production that is seldom revived.

“I'm hoping that the students involved in it will learn something about the traditions of early 20th century American theatre. More than that, however, since the play is in a style and genre that we don't see much anymore, it's a great workout for our actors,” he noted.

The production’s main cast includes: Jacob Applegate ’20, Emily Arancio ’20, MJ Diao ’19, Gianna DiMaiolo ’19, Andrew Farina ’18, Nora Grimes ’19, Hannah Gabriel ’17, Derek Kunz ‘17, Chris Little ’17, Noah Mailloux ’20, Emma O’Leary ’18, Liam Prendergast ’19, Megan Siebecker ’20, Dan Taylor ’19, Frank Thompson ’20, and Rose Weiss ’18.