Wednesday, November 13, 2002

WILMINGTON, NC – The UNCW University Theatre production of Born Yesterday opens at 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, in Kenan Auditorium. Additional performances of this Garson Kanin play are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22 and 23. A matinee performance is set for 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 24.

Dr. Renee Vincent, a professor in the UNCW Department of Art and Theatre, directs eight undergraduates in Born Yesterday. This Pygmalion-esque comedy is one of the longest-running plays in American theatre. It opened on Broadway in 1946 and spawned a movie starring Judy Holiday and Broderick Crawford.

Born Yesterday tells the story of Billie Dawn, the floozie fiancée of junk dealer and millionare Harry Crawford who is trying to impress Washington, D.C., politicians. Crawford hires D.C. journalist Paul Verrall to “culturefy” Dawn through a crash course in history, literature and politics. Dawn, who’s not as dumb as she seems, soon graduates from pawn to sassy queen on her husband’s political chessboard. Sophomore Mary-Elizabeth Thrasher plays Dawn. Joe Pistone and Michael Rosander portray Crawford and Verrall, respectively.

Admission is $8, $2 for UNCW students with ID. For reservations, contact the Kenan Auditorium box office at 910/962-3500.