Worlds collide in theater’s production

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The cast of the Naugatuck Teen Theater’s Production of ‘You Can’t Take it With You’ is pictured on stage April 25 at St. Michael’s Parish Hall before rehearsal. The show opens on May 5. –LUKE MARSHALL

NAUGATUCK — The curtain is set to rise on the Naugatuck Teen Theater’s latest production.

The theater will present “You Can’t Take it With You” the first two weekends in May.

The production opens at 8 p.m. May 5 at the St. Michael’s Parish Hall, 210 Church St. The show also runs at 8 p.m. May 6 and May 12 and at 2 p.m. May 7, May 13 and May 14.

The play, which is a comedy written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart and was first produced in 1936, takes place in New York City during the Great Depression. It follows the Sycamore family as the youngest daughter, Alice Sycamore, tries to marry Tony Kirby.

“They are from two different worlds. His family is very rich and her family is poor,” said Eric Canfield, who plays Tony Kirby. “It is about how both of their families are kind of crazy and how they mesh.”

Jessica Sember, who plays Alice Sycamore, said production is coming along well and the cast is getting ready to bring the play to the stage opening night.

“We all mesh well together, so that certainly makes it easier to put on a good production,” Sember said.

Assistant Director K’Ehleyr Smith said the actors have grown since they first started rehearsals.

“They have developed a lot. They’re character building technique has changed. They have been doing research on the era it comes from. It shows how committed they are to their craft,” Smith said.

Naugatuck Teen Theater actors Jessica Sember, left, and Eric Canfield are pictured on stage April 25 at St. Michael’s Parish Hall before rehearsal. Sember is playing Alice Sycamore and Canfield is playing Tony Kirby in the theater’s production of ‘You Can’t Take it With You,’ which opens May 5. –LUKE MARSHALL

Lindsey Rosa, who plays Penny Sycamore, encouraged people to come out and see the play because it will be a high-quality production.

“Naugatuck Teen Theater puts on great productions every single year. This is just another great production,” Rosa said.

Sember echoed Rosa’s statements, saying the cast has put in a lot of hard work.

“Someone would want to come see this play because we all put so much effort into this that this has literally become like a child to us. This show is like our child and we all take very good care of it and we all put so much effort into it because we want it to be amazing. And we know it will be amazing because this is what we love to do,” Sember said.

Tickets for the show can be purchased at the door or online at www.naugatuckteentheater.com. Tickets are $7 for students, $10 for senior citizens and $15 for adults at the door. Adults can get discounted tickets for $12 by purchasing tickets ahead of time online.

“The kids are putting in a lot of work, which is a reason in itself to come,” Smith said. “I think everybody should come and see it.”