Guild Hall goes all out to stage classic ‘You Can’t Take It with You’
In its nearly 90-year history, “You Can’t Take It with You” has had five Broadway versions, a Frank Capra movie, a radio version and several television editions.
It’s been one of the top 10 most-produced plays among high schools since the rights became available in 1939 and is a staple among community theaters.
Phil Speary says the reason is simple.
“It’s one of the genuinely funniest, happy, positive American classics,” the artistic director of Guild Hall Players said. “It’s such a wonderful show, particularly for this time — it’s a wonderful, positive, happy show to be performing.”
Guild Hall is presenting the family comedy for four performances next weekend at St. James Episcopal Church.
“The cast is having a great time, and I know the audience will have a great time,” Speary said.
Speary directed “You Can’t …” about 20 years ago at Wichita State and played Grandpa Vanderhof at Wichita Center for the Arts.
Joe Parrish, who directed four versions of it as a high school teacher, is playing Grandpa – a happy, eccentric senior – after playing xylophonist Ed and fireworks manufacturer Paul in earlier renditions.
“The part I’ve always wanted,” Parrish said with a laugh.
“It’s beautifully written and the characters are so fun and so unique, and the situations are just crazy, and I think it makes for a great time,” he added. Playwrights George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart “were a brilliant team, they knew each other’s strengths and were just great writers.”
Lydia Pirilli, who plays the fiancée ready to enter the extended family, said she became hooked on it after seeing the 1939 movie and watching a production in Winfield.
“The characters are so quirky I feel like there’s someone for everyone,” she said. “Audience members are going to gravitate toward different characters, depending on who they like the most.
“I knew it would be fun to be part of a production of it at some point,” Pirilli added.
Speary said he’s making the classic an epic in the St. James theater space, turning it into Grandpa Vanderhof’s mansion.
“The Vanderhof house is a big old mansion, so we’re using the stage and the floor. At several points, there’s 18 or more people on stage,” he said. “You need a lot of space to actually do it right.”
Vintage 1930s props and costumes add to the authenticity, he said.
Speary said he was glad to produce a version of “You Can’t Take It with You” where no one needs to pile on the age makeup.
“It’s fun for people to see the characters be age-appropriate, and it’s more authentic for the 1930s than most productions that people have seen,” he said.
‘YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU’ BY GUILD HALL PLAYERS
When: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, July 24-26; 7 p.m. Sunday, July 27
Where: St. James Episcopal Church, 3750 E. Douglas
Tickets: $12 adults, $10 students and military, from 316-683-5686