“Baby With The Bathwater” set this weekend

Published or Revised February 23, 2010

Difficulties of parenting and being a baby and child are at the heart of a dark comedy presented by the Paris Junior College Drama Department. "Baby with the Bathwater," written by Christoper Durang, will be presented in the Ray Karrer Theatre in the Administration Building at PJC. Show times are 7 p.m. on Feb. 26 and 27 and March 5 and 6, with an additional matinee performance at 2 p.m. on March 7. "Christopher Durang is one of the most influential and funniest playwrights alive today," said PJC drama instructor William Walker. "I invite everyone to come out and enjoy a laugh during this comedy performance." A boy named Daisy is at the center of the play. Durang, a playwright sharing a bleak view of humanity with Jonathan Swift, combines farce, satire, and general goofiness in this modern comedy of manners. Unprepared parents Helen and John believe their baby's sex can be decided later, then name and dress the boy as a girl. They hire a nanny with abrupt mood swings, and the child's life plays out as the young man has years and years of therapy and eventually takes a bride. The cast includes Aaron Rogers as Daisy, Callie Henderson as Helen, Chad Duval as the school principal, Jason Hayes as John, Michael Crabtree as The Nanny, and Erin Murphy, Kathrine Schweers and Kaitlan Armstrong in supporting roles. All of the students except Hayes are veteran performers and sophomores at PJC. General admission is $5 for the pubic and free for PJC students with I.D. Parental discretion is advised due to adult language and situations.