As its fall production, Solanco High School's drama club will present "The Man Who Came to Dinner" on Thursday, Nov. 16; Friday, Nov. 17; and Saturday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the school's auditorium, located at 585 Solanco Road, Quarryville. The play will incorporate more than 70 students, who will fill roles from actors to ushers to bring the Broadway satire to life on the stage.

"The Man Who Came to Dinner" follows the story of Sheldon Whiteside, a pompous radio personality who visits a remote town. Due to an injury that Whiteside sustains during his visit, he is forced to stay with the Stanley family for much longer than he anticipated, and the two parties grapple with their differences as their routines are turned upside down. "It's a great comedic piece with interesting and wacky characters," said Dillon Maurer, the play's director. "Students have had a lot of fun getting into character, and it's a show that brings everyone in the audience together with laughter."

Whiteside, played by senior Aidan Todd, wastes no time in disrupting the lives of his hosts. He transforms the Stanleys' home into his personal office, domineering the telephone and restricting access to the front door for visitors such as Hollywood socialite Bev, played by senior Isaac West. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, played by Nicholas Mohler and Reese Zander, respectively, navigate the subsequent mess of eccentric personalities and inflated egos as the play explores the silliness of celebrity culture. "(Whiteside) is very disliked by the other characters in the play, but the audience is going to love him," Maurer said. "He's snarky, arrogant and sarcastic, but there's a beautiful side of him as well that's shown in the second act."

After performing "You Can't Take It With You" as its fall 2022 production, the drama club decided to remain in the same time period by choosing another play written by George Kauffman in the 1930s. Although Maurer is a theater actor with more than 15 years of experience, this is his second production as a director. For his directorial debut, Maurer was aided by his familiarity with material since he had acted in the play in college. "The Man Who Came to Dinner" posed new challenges for Maurer due to it being material he had no experience with; however, as opening night draws closer, the director is confident in his cast and crew to deliver an impressive show. "Everyone has been putting in plenty of work rehearsing and putting this together," Maurer added.

Todd will star alongside fellow senior Devon Culberson, who plays the role of Whiteside's assistant, Maggie. As they prepare for their final fall play at Solanco High School, the two seniors reflected on their experiences in the theater program. "Choosing to be involved in the plays and musicals has probably been one of the best decisions that I have made during my high school career," Culberson said. "I have made so many friendships through the drama club and the productions I've been involved in."

"(Being involved in theater) teaches you to step outside of your comfort zone," Todd added. "It's an opportunity to grow and try new things."

Tickets may be purchased in advance at the main office of the high school and will also be sold at the door.