PULLMAN, Wash. — Famed Broadway playwright Neil Simon’s popular
comedy “The Good Doctor” will run at Washington State University’s Jones
Theatre in Daggy Hall April 6-8 and 13-15.
The play is based on the short stories of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov.
Directed by WSU theatre faculty member William Shephard, “The Good
Doctor” has been described as a series of scenes that reflect the “laughter with
a tear” made famous by Chekhov.
Scenes such as “The Sneeze,” “Surgery” and “A Defenseless Creature”
combine Simon’s well-known comic brilliance with Chekhov’s wit, rendering
hilarious portraits of human nature in absurd situations, the director said. On
the other hand, scenes such as “The Governess” and “The Seduction” give
touching glimpses into human nature without the stress and storm of a heavy
dramatic hand.
In “The Arrangement,” a frugal father attempts to introduce his 19-year-old
son to the “mysteries of love.” These and other stories are introduced by The
Good Doctor (Chekhov) himself as “The Writer” in Simon’s play.
Whether you love Simon or Chekhov, or an evening of great theatre, “The
Good Doctor” promises a night of laughter that will appeal to the whole family,
Shephard said.
For ticket information and reservations, call the University Theatre Box Office,
509/335-7236, 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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