By Mike Innis, a Catawba College Student

Reminisce on the 1960s as you enjoy Catawba College's blast from the past, "Mary, Mary." The production runs from February 24-27 in Catawba's Florence Busby Corriher Theatre.

Directed by Dr. Kurt Corriher, "Mary, Mary" is a dry, witty comedy chock-full of snide, sarcastic retorts and situational humor. Mary and her soon-to-be-ex husband Bob are forced to come together after a nine-month separation to thwart a potential tax audit. If that wasn't uncomfortable enough, their new significant others, a pretty, rich young girl and a Hollywood actor, eventually join them in Bob's apartment, which soon begins to seem too small to contain all the drama.

The play, by Jean Kerr, promises a highly entertaining theatre experience that provokes thought through discussions about human relationships, bad smoking habits, alimony, tax audits, and sex. Kerr explores these topics, Corriher explains, through "Neil Simon-esque humor" except with characters who are deeper than Simon's "wise-cracking machines."

Playwright Jean Kerr is well-known for this play, which debuted in 1961 and set the record at the time for longest running Broadway non-musical, however she is best known for her book, "Please Don't Eat the Daisies."

The production features actors Carmen Bartlett of Charlotte as Mary; Chris Herring of Oakboro as Bob; Amanda Lederer of Bradenton, Fla., as Tiffany; Chris Fink of Hendersonville as Dirk; Rob White of Mechanicsville, Md., as Oscar.

Crew for the production includes Kat Tierney of Smyrna, Ga., stage manager; Jodye Carroll of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., assistant stage manager; Ryan O'Hare of Milwaukee, Wis., assistant director; Eleanor Withrow of Bel Air, Md., costume designer; Josh Hodgson of High Point, lighting designer; Luke Robinson of Monroe, technical director and master carpenter; and Meggie Bumgarner of Newton, hair and make-up designer.

"Mary, Mary" is not intended for small children due to mature themes and mild language. This production also includes live smoking on stage. It plays at Catawba College at 6:55 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, as well as at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb25 through Saturday, Feb. 27. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for senior citizens and non-Catawba students. For more details, contact the Catawba College Theater Box Office at (704) 637-4481.

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