One-Act Comedy, “Check Please," at Husson University this Weekend

Need a good laugh? Laughter is still the best medicine.

BANGOR, MAINE – December 3, 2021 – Husson University Theatre (HUT), the educational institution’s official student theatre club, will be performing “Check Please” on December 3-5, 2021 in the Gracie’s Black Box Theatre. The romantic comedy follows several couples through a series of blind dinner dates that usually go awry. The show is directed, designed and performed by Husson students. The performance is open to the public. All audience members will be required to wear masks.

“'Check Please’ is a wacky comedy that reflects the harsh realities of dating in a silly, farcical way,” says stage director Erin Cahoon. “I’m so thankful to have a wonderful cast and crew that enjoys working on this play and makes every rehearsal and meeting a laugh riot.”

Written by Jonathan Rand, “Check Please” takes on the sometimes difficult, unexpected aspects of going on blind dates. Dating disasters include matchups with a raging kleptomaniac, a grandmother's bridge partner, and an amateur mime. And just when things seem like they can’t get any worse, they do!

Several of the cast members in this production are making their Husson premiere. The cast features Hannah Boddy from Washburn, Maine; Kade Hamlin of Stoneham, Maine; Hampden, Maine native Caroline Beckwith; Wegahta Berhane of Derry, N.H.; Lillian Mode of Yarmouth, Maine and Bailey Arruda from Warwick, R.I.

The production staff includes Director Erin Cahoon from Wrentham, Mass.; Stage Manager Erin Bessey of Newport, Maine; Lighting Designer Melanie Wright from Gorham, Maine; Sound Technician Christopher Duff of Worcester, Mass; and Costume and Prop Designer Gracie Demchak from Hampden, Maine.

Performances of “Check Please take place on Friday, December 3 and Saturday, December 4 at 7 p.m. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, December 5 at 2 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre on the second floor of the Gracie Theatre. Tickets are only available at the door and will not be available until an hour before each performance. Seating is limited and will be allocated on a first come-first served basis for this one act comedy. Admission is free for Husson students and $5.00 for adults.

Husson University Theatre, or HUT, is a student-led theater club open to all Husson students who enjoy live theatre. The group produces two shows each year for the campus and greater Bangor community. Husson students are responsible for all aspects of the company’s operations. This includes all of the production roles from acting on stage, to crew roles backstage, and box office management. Plays are selected, directed, and designed entirely by students.

Originally, HUT was called the Husson Circle Players. The student shows began over 40 years ago and were performed on campus in Peabody Hall’s Kominsky Auditorium. When The Gracie was built in 2009, the Husson Circle Players moved to the new location were renamed Husson University Theatre.

Previous Husson University Theatre (HUT) student productions have included John Cariani’s “Almost, Maine,” Diana Son’s “Stop Kiss,” “Doubt” by John Patrick Shanley, “Tribes” by Nina Raine, “The Guys” by Anne Nelson and “The Worker” by Walter Wykes. In addition, there have been student performances of “The Zoo Story,” “The Little Prince,” “The Good Doctor,” “The Bald Soprano,” “The Lion in Winter,” and many others.

For more information about the upcoming production of “Check Please,” contact Jeri Misler at the Gracie Theatre box office at 207-941-7888. Information is also available at GracieTheatre.com.

Completed in October of 2009, The Gracie is Husson University's center for the fine and performing arts. This beautiful 500-seat theatre is considered one of Maine’s premier performance venues. In addition, The Gracie also serves as a learning platform for students from the New England School of Communications in digital audio, sound mixing, set design and construction, lighting, acting, and electronics.

For more than 120 years, Husson University has shown its adaptability and strength in delivering educational programs that prepare future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent a superior value in higher education. The hallmarks of a Husson education include advanced knowledge delivered through quality educational programs. According to a recent analysis of tuition and fees by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is one of the most affordable private colleges in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.