Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • November 11, 2009 Ramsey Drama Club to present comic play ‘Is He Dead?’ Cast members pictured standing are Taylor Poruks, Jonathan Acampora, Marco Santoro, Devin Mueller, Jackie Scheid and Brittany Malestein. Seated are Chris Ferrante, Sarah Bodgen and Sawyer Rosenstein. Mistaken identity, misplaced loves, and not-really dead painters run amok as the Ramsey High School Drama Club presents the comedy “Is He Dead?” Written by Mark Twain in 1898 and adapted by David Ives, will be presented on Nov. 19, 20, and 21, in the school auditorium. All performances are at 8 p.m. The comedy centers on a group of artists in Barbizon, France, and includes a fictional version of the real-life French painter Jean-Francois Millet. The young painter, madly in love with the beautiful Marie Leroux, but unable to make any money or sell his paintings, finds himself in debt to the villainous art dealer Bastien André, who threatens Millet with debtor’s prison. The art dealer will not carry out his threat if Marie marries him. How can Millet quickly find money and save the his love from the villain? Along with his struggling artist cronies, Millet comes up with the only way that the paintings will begin to sell: Millet has to die. They create a plan to fake the painter’s death in order to increase the value of his works. Millet disappears from life and re-emerges as his imaginary twin sister, the Widow Tillou. Madcap complications, absurd contrivances, fake funerals, and lovers’ deceptions ensue. Twain’s manuscript was re-discovered in 2002 and adapted for a modern audience by playwright David Ives. Directed by Michael Blakemore, “Is He Dead?” played on Broadway in 2007 starring Norman Leo Butz. For the Ramsey production, Chris Ferrante plays JeanFrancois Millet, with Devin Mueller as “Chicago” Buckner, his plotting and scheming best friend. Also portraying fellow artists are George Heftler and Marco Santoro as “Dutchy” Von Bismark and Phelim O’Shaughnessy. Sarah Bogden is mourning fiancée Marie Leroux, Marielle Debbas is her sister, and Sawyer Rosenstein plays the lovelorn Papa Leroux. Jackie Scheid and Brittany Malestein appear as the concerned neighbors Madame Bathilde and Madame Caron. Jonathan Acampora rounds out the cast as the loan-sharking villain Bastien Andre. The cast also includes Nicole Jones, Taylor Poruks, Drew Vernon, Tyler Buysse, Alex Chun, and Alex Albanese. Tickets are $10 each; $5 for senior citizens. Tickets are general admission and may be purchased at the door. For further information, call (201) 785-2300 ext. 21500. Running lines are Chris Ferrante and Sarah Bogden as Jean-Francois Millet and his fiancé, Marie LeRoux. Also practicing is Jackie Scheid as Madame Bathilde, Sawyer Rosenstein as Papa Leroux, and Brittany Malestein as Madame Caron. Engaged? Just Married? Celebrating an Anniversary? Share the news with neighbors and friends! Announce your Special Event in We welcome photographs. Send announcements to: The Villadom TIMES P Box 96, Midland Park, NJ 07432 .O. editorial@villadom.com