ECC Theatre Presents Classic Comedy: The Man Who Came To Dinner

Get ready for a healthy dose of hilarity, eccentric characters, and outrageous escapades when Elgin Community College (ECC) Theatre presents “The Man Who Came to Dinner” by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, November 13-22, at the ECC Arts Center’s SecondSpace Theatre.

This comedy promises a whirlwind of madcap characters, witty banter, and chaotic hijinks as a sharp-tongued, high-maintenance radio personality becomes an unexpected houseguest who turns a buttoned-up Midwestern family's quiet home upside down.

Director Susan Robinson chose this play for both personal and artistic reasons.

“I chose this play because of my deep affection for it. I was in a production when I was 15 with the Cincinnati Young Person’s Theatre,” Robinson said. “It’s a big, fun, and eccentric cast with lots of crazy antics and surprises, and we are all going to need a comedy in November.”

Set in the 1930s, the play lets the cast explore the era’s distinctive personalities, language, and customs, making rehearsals as enjoyable as the show itself.

“The more we work on the play, the funnier it gets,” Robinson said. “Because it was written and takes place in the 1930s, we had to do a bit of research on names from old Hollywood and famous places, pronunciations, and how telephones worked back then. We have been having a great time in rehearsals. There is always a lot of laughter.”

Robinson hopes audiences will leave their worries at the door and embrace The Man Who Came to Dinner’s sharp humor and unpredictable shenanigans.

“It’s funny, it’s smartly written, it’s zany, and the cast is having a great time,” Robinson said. “I hope the audience takes a break from their worries and lets themselves just laugh and have a good time. We certainly think they will!”

The production runs November 13-22 at the ECC Arts Center’s SecondSpace Theatre, located at 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, in Building H. 

The show will run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3 pm.

All tickets are general admission. Prices are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, and ECC students are free. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to eccartscenter.org or call the ECC Arts Center Box Office at 847-622-0300.

The Man Who Came to Dinner (Amateur Performance Rights) is presented in arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Services.