Rittenhouse, but tried and true caricature-style costumes for the Marx Brothers giving them each a unique and distinguished look. Lovely dresses for lovely ladies, slightly more sophisticated numbers for Mrs. Extravagance knows no bounds in Burdick’s wardrobe for various cast members. Matching the elegance of the scenery are the outfits conceptualized by Costume Designer David Burdick. Patel’s genius is reflected in the simple hydraulic lift that enables for quick and humorous scene changes and lends itself to additional funny moments in the show, like when characters point out not using the space because of the giant hole in the floor. Placing the live-swinging orchestra and Maestro adds a flavor of period authenticity to the festivities. With gold padded walls and a breathtaking marble floor, the atmosphere of the Rittenhouse Manor is prim, polished, and proper the perfect venue for a party in the infamous Captain Spaulding’s honor. Taking us back to the glamorous times of vaudeville and the golden age of Hollywood, Scenic Designer Neil Patel crafts a tremendous and visually stunning set on which the shenanigans can unfold. The company of Animal Crackers.’ Photo by Richard Anderson. Filled with song and dance, comic characters galore, and laughs that will keep you rolling in the aisles, this musical adventure is perfect for audiences of all ages, whether you remember the Marx Brothers or not. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, and Music and Lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, it’s the epitome of vaudeville and zany all rolled into one thrillingly delightful evening at the theatre. Not even ice cream.” A calamitous catastrophe of comedy rolls its way into CENTERSTAGE to start off their 2013/2014 season with a rip-roaring bang! The madcap comedy of the Marx Brothers in the classic musical adventure Animal Crackers, Directed by BJ Jones, with Book by George S. Whimsy and tradition collide in You Can’t Take It With You, a madcap comedy written by Moss Hart and George S Kaufman that asks us to question the conventional and embrace the mayhem of an unusual family.“A party.

The slight tinge of creative madness that affects most of her family has bypassed Alice, and when she falls in love with the son of a prominent Wall Street businessman, she fears her mercurial relatives will undo her chances at living a normal life. It seems as if the Sycamores have created the perfect artist’s haven, but Alice, the youngest daughter, sees her family as forgetful, erratic, and distracted. They live in a house populated by their extensive creative projects and varied pursuits, and everyone with an open heart and a will to create is welcome to stay as long as they wish. A snake enthusiast, a pyrotechnician, a confectioner, and a xylophonist these are just a few of the brilliant, but slightly odd members of the Sycamore family.

George kaufman madcap comedy