Gearing up for the final weekend of The Man Who Came to Dinner, let hear from another cast member - this time around, the star (and title character) of the comedy, who's on stage for virtually the entire show. It's an impressive performance, and one that requires a top-caliber actor.
They have that (and more) in Mike Murdock, a veteran actor and director who's been one of the key movers and shakers behind the reinvention of ARTS.
Let's hear from him:
Q: Tell us the basic story of the comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner.
Mike: Kaufman and Hart, who wrote You Can’t Take It With You, also wrote The Man Who Came To Dinner. It’s a classic comedy set at Christmastime in Mesalia, Ohio, in the '30s. Sheridan Whiteside, a famous radio personality, slips on ice and hurts his hip, forcing him to stay with the family he was visiting. As his famous friends pay him visits and his secretary falls in love with a local newspaper man, hilarity ensues.
Q: Tell us about the character you play.
Mike: I play Sheridan Whiteside, the titular “Man” who has come to “Dinner.” He’s a guy who doesn’t like change. He loves his friends and loves his life to such an extreme that he can’t function if anything throws it off – so, of course, everything in the show throws his life out of kilter and he either has to come to grips with it or rally against it. He does a bit of both.
Q: What's your favorite part of the show?
Mike: There are a lot of them, actually, but they all revolve around other people. So many people are doing such good work in this show – Joanna Berner, Amy Carlson, Eric Wilson, Clay McKnight and Simon Woods, just to name a few. I eagerly await all of their scenes every night. The characters in the show tend to show up in a whirlwind, steal the scene and then blow right back out the door again. It’s a fascinating concept from a writing standpoint. This cast – the entire ensemble – is really doing some great stuff here. I’m proud to even just be on stage with them.
Q: What's your background in theatre?
Mike: I went to Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and studied theatre and journalism for four years, then came back and graduated from Marshall. After that, I moved to Los Angeles for three years and ran my own theatre for a while in Hollywood. I’ve worked in a lot of places in Europe and North America, but now I’m one of the Resident Directors at ARTS. I got ARTS on the Shakespeare train this time last year with Macbeth, and I just directed Caesar a few months ago. Next, however, in November, I’ll be directing the Neil Simon comedy Laughter on the 23rd Floor. I’m really looking forward to that.
Q: Why did you want to be part of this show?
Mike: Sheridan Whiteside is one of the greatest roles in American comedic theatre. When Gene Anthony, the director, asked me to do it, I was both flattered and terrified. Whiteside is on stage for nearly the entire show. He has some 90 pages of dialogue. It’s crazy. But I enjoy working with Mr. Anthony, and he had directed in me in a lot of things at Marshall, including You Can’t Take It With You, the other big Kaufman and Hart comedy, so it was a natural fit, I think. I certainly love having the opportunity to play this role and I consider myself lucky to be able to put it on my resume. I just hope I do it some slight justice. It’s certainly been a blast.
Not only that, but I’ve wanted to act with several of the other folks in this show for a long time (and granted, some of us have been in the same show, like How To Succeed…, but we didn’t really share scenes. In this one, we really get to tackle some meaty comedy. It’s a pleasure to finally have dialogue with Amy Carlson, Simon and Joanna. They, along with the rest of the cast (even that guy with the beard that plays the doctor – what’s his name? “Minsker” or something?), do a fantastic job in the show. I couldn’t ask for better scene partners. I’m a really lucky guy. I never have any fear when I’m onstage with them. I hope they feel the same. I love it.
Q: Why would you recommend this show to our readers?
Mike: The set is beautiful. The costumes are beautiful. The actors are beautiful. The play is a classic. It’s ridiculous and funny. It’s a great night out at the theatre!
Q: Tell us the dates, times and place for the show.
Mike: Only two chances remain to see the show! This Friday, Aug. 23, and this Saturday, Aug. 24, at 8 p.m. Tickets are 10 bucks! It’s cheaper than a 3D movie and ANYTHING can happen! It’s live theatre! Also, on Saturday, if you are interested in dinner before the show, contact ARTS at 304-733-2787. Dinner and show tickets are only $25, but there are only a few tables left and it will definitely sell out, so call today! Won’t you join us?
Thanks, Mike! And thanks to Stephen Vance for the photo!
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