WTAMU’s theatre department will be staging Tartuffe, a comedy by Moliere, as its third play of the season.

Stephen Crandall, new assistant professor of theatre, is directing the comedy.  Crandall noted that there are several reasons why Tartuffe is a choice play for students to perform.

“Moliere is a well known comedic playwright,” Crandall said.  “The productions here are an extension of the training [actors] receive in the classroom.”

Crandall, a WT alum, was a student to the people who are now his colleagues.  He noted that this has been an easy transition.

“It’s been a really easy adjustment,” Crandall said.  “I’ve been away for long enough and I’ve gained additional skills.  I feel like I can be a colleague instead of a student.”

Crandall said that the theatre professors have been welcoming to him as he starts his role as a faculty member.  The students in his production, such as Sam Green, say they want to make sure Tartuffe is a show to remember.

“It’s really exciting to be in his first production because we want him to look good,” Green said.  “It’s good to see him growing as a professor and actor at the same time.”

Green, who plays Flipote, said the satirical nature of Tartuffe requires the actors to portray their characters in a slightly different fashion.

“We definitely have to be bigger than what we usually are,” Green said. “We  [have to act] more extravagant than usual.”

Fellow cast member Brandon Upton, who plays Monsieur Loyal, agreed that acting for a satire is different than acting for a realistic piece.   He also said that the time frame and locale that the play is set in, changes the requirements on the actors.

“The difference is you have to take on a whole new set of mannerisms,” Upton said.  “You have a set status quo your set to work with in 17th century France.  You have things that are socially acceptable and things that aren’t.

Crandall said that the play is split between the actions of Orgon and Tartuffe, the two main characters.

“From the beginning, I feel like the story is centered around two individuals,” Crandall said.  “The story is a parallel story of Orgon’s extremism and fanaticism and then Tartuffe represents Moliere’s attack on hypocrisy.

The play will run Nov. 11-13, Nov. 17-20 in the Branding Iron Theatre with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.