Selah Theatre Project presents “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”

In Partnership with Laurel Ridge Community College, Selah Theatre Project presents GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER. A progressive white couple’s proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter brings her black fiancé home, in this fresh and relevant stage adaptation of the iconic film. Matt and Christina Drayton quickly come to realize, supporting a mixed-race couple in your newspaper and welcoming one into your family in 1967 comes with quite different challenges to their surprise. They are not the only ones with concerns about the match.

The cast of Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner

Under the direction of LaTasha Do’zia, Todd Kreidler’s adaptation of GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER comes to Middletown providing a classic story of racial tension that proves at the end, love conquers all. This production highlights the scars implicit bias can leave on all of us, no matter how good we might think our intentions may be. The cast features Will Speakman (Doubt), Paige Ulevich (Terms of Endearment), Jon Conard (Fences), Danielle Juratovac (Seussariffic), Eric Lee Santiful (Fall of Heaven), Joanne Thompson (Trouble in Mind), Richard Clem (Terms of Endearment, Sarah Downs (Trouble in Mind), Tracy Conard, Sydney Martyn, and Ariel Scott (Macbeth).

Eric Lee Santiful (John Prentice, Sr), Joanne Thompson (Mary Prentice), Jon Conard (Dr. John Prentice)

“The relevance of this play hits home in so many ways,” says director LaTasha Do’zia. “The film in 1967 was ahead of its time, however, it clings true today as we examine our own biases,” exclaims Do’zia.

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner in 1967 American romantic-comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, and written by William Rose. It starred Spencer Tracy (in his final role), Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn, and features Hepburn’s niece Katharine Houghton. The film was one of the few films of the time to depict an interracial marriage in a positive light, as interracial marriage historically had been illegal in many states of the United States. It was still illegal in 17 states, until June 12, 1967, six months before the film was released, and scenes were filmed just before anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia.

Jon Conard (Dr. John Prentice), Danielle Juratovac (Joanna Drayton)

In collaboration with Coming To The Table – Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter, a talk back is scheduled after the performance on Saturday, March 18th. A dinner version of the production is set for Saturday, March 25th.

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER will be presented on March 17-19 & 24-26. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7pm, and Sunday matinees are at 2pm. A special dinner theatre version will be on Saturday, March 25th to benefit the Larry Lamar Yates Memorial Scholarship and the Andrea Ludwick Performing Arts Fund.

Will Speakman (Matt Drayton), Paige Ulevich (Christina Drayton), Danielle Juratovac (Joanna Drayton)

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Laurel Ridge Community College
William H. McCoy Theatre
173 Skirmisher Lane | Middletown, VA 22645

• Friday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 19 at 2:00 p.m.
• Friday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 25 – Dinner Theatre at 6 p.m.
• Sunday, March 26 at 2:00 p.m.

TICKETS

• General Admission: $15
• Purchase tickets:
  • Online: www.selahtheatreproject.org
  • Box Office: 540-684-5464