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Quirk’s Players of G. Ray Bodley High School continue their 2010-2011 season this month with the fast-paced production Unnecessary Farce. Performances will be held Friday, October 22^nd and Saturday, October 23^rd in the G. Ray Bodley High School Auditorium. Curtain time is set for 7:30 pm both evenings.

Written by Paul Slade Smith, Unnecessary Farce centers around two incompetent police officers conducting a sting operation in a small town motel. As the curtain rises, the audience sees that the officers have set up a video recorder and television monitor in one room and are using it in hopes of catching their mayor for embezzling $16 million in the adjoining room. Things get confusing when one of the officers falls in love with the beautiful new accountant who is working with them to catch the mayor. The mayor’s chief of security arrives on the scene and warns the new accountant not to pursue the investigation of the missing money because her life is in danger. Begging to learn who would want to kill her, the young accountant is told that the Scottish Mafia (the Clan with a “C”) is sending in their most feared killer, The Highland Hitman, to end her life. The young accountant pleads for mercy but is told that there is nothing she can do. The decision to end her life and the investigation has been made by the ultimate power, the head of the Scottish Mafia – the “Big Mac.” Laughs abound throughout the

production with mistaken identities, bagpipes, a Scottish accent so thick it is hard to understand, disappearing clothes, slamming doors and more. Audience members should note that Unnecessary Farce is rated ‘PG-13’ for mature humor and situations.

Featured in GRB’s Production of Unnecessary Farce are a combination of veteran and new actors. Senior Gwen Bixby portrays the overly enthusiastic yet easily scared new police officer Billie Dwyer. Officer Eric Sheridan, Dwyer’s partner, will be played by GRB Junior Nate Hawthorne. Senior Morgan Stafford will assume the role of Karen Brown, the town’s lovely new accountant. The role of “The Highland Hitman” will be performed by Zachary Mizener. Neil Devendorf will portray Agent Frank – Chief of Town Hall Security. Fulton Sophomore Steven McDougall plays the role of Mayor Meekley while Junior Christine Proud plays the Mayor’s Wife, Mary.

Unnecessary Farce is under the direction of Tom Briggs, theatre director at G. Ray Bodley High School. Rob Lescarbeau of the GRB English Dept. will serve as assistant director. Costumes are designed by Debbie Ritchey of CNY Costumes, with wigs by Karen Procopio. Tom Nami, a music teacher at GRB, will design lighting and sound. Set design/construction will be completed by Rob Lescarbeau, Dave Garber, Ken McCann, Mike Thurlow, Brandon Seivers and Eric Wasacz.

Quirk’s Players is the student theatre troupe at G. Ray Bodley High School. Named in memory of Mr. William Quirk, a long-time English teacher and theatre director at both Fulton High School and G. Ray Bodley High School, the group presents two main productions a year and participates in at least one high school theatre festival. Most recently, Quirk’s Players presented the fast paced farce, Don’t Tell Mother! as well as the Broadway musical, The Sound of Music, last year and recently collaborated with Fulton Community Theatre to present An Evening On Broadway earlier this month.