The University of Wisconsin-Marathon County Theatre offers a contemporary, pop culture production of Moliere’s 17th Century comedy Tartuffe or The Hypocrite.

The production runs November 9, 10, 11 at 7:30 and Sunday November 12 at 2:00 PM at UWMC’s James F. Veninga Theater, 625 Stewart Ave., Wausau.

Just as productions of Shakespeare use various settings and wildly divergent concepts, Moliere’s plays, particularly Tartuffe, enables similar approaches to stress universal truths about gullibility and false prophets.

The play’s title character (Jeffery Wagoner, UWMC Freshman and graduate of Tomahawk High School) uses an overblown façade of holiness to manipulate others. Orgon (played by Hunter Otwaska, UWMC Theatre Major and graduate of Badger High School in Lake Geneva), in whose home the play is set, proves a most gullible mark. Before he catches on to Tartuffe’s hypocrisy, Orgon has turned over his wealth, home, the hand of his daughter, Marianne (UWMC Theatre Musical Theatre Major and recent graduate of Merrill Area High School) and nearly his wife’s virtue. In its signature scene, Tartuffe seduces Orgon’s wife, Elmire (Andrea Tillou, UWMC Sophomore) on a table. Only while sitting underneath this table does Orgon realize his idol’s true nature. Count on the truly reverent to intervene at play’s end.

Rather than use one specific time frame and locale, the UWMC Theatre’s production combines familiar types and plenty of pop culture references to maximize the play’s farcical elements. Tartuffe, as played by Jeffery Wagner, UWMC freshman and recent graduate of Tomahawk High School, comes across a clownish figure making Orgon’s desperation to find a redeemer all the more pathetic. Particularly aggressive in the fight against the imposter are the spirited household maid, Dorine (Victoria Hoff, UWMC Freshman and recent graduate of Wausau East High School) and Orgon’s son, Damis. Playing Damis is Brandon Lobermeir, a sophomore theatre major intent on transferring into the acting program at UW Platteville. Lobermeir was last seen as Nathan Leopold in last semester’s production of Never the Sinner. Dylan Sleeper, who plays Madame Pernelle, appeared opposite Lobermeir as Richard Loeb and has been involved in numerous other UWMC Theatre productions including Spamalot, Of Mice and Men, and Lion in Winter and will playing his first drag role in Tartuffe.

Other cast members include Ian Cohrs (graduate of Merrill High School and UWMC Freshman), Carol Lamansky (Wausau Community Member), Sarah Davis (UWMC Freshman), Lily Haider (UWMC Sophomore Theatre Major) and Amanda Hoerter (UWSP Alum and Stevens Point Community Member) and Brendon McDonnell (part time UWMC student).

This play, presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, is directed by UWMC Communication and Arts Professor Sarah Rudolph with Technical Direction   by Kris Berge.