No fooling—AHS presents Simon comedy





COMEDY OF ‘FOOLS’—The cast and crew of Neil Simons’“Fools” take a break. The Agoura High School production runs Dec. 3 to 6 and 11 to 13 in the school’s black box theater. Visit www.thePAECs.org.

COMEDY OF ‘FOOLS’—The cast and crew of Neil Simons’“Fools” take a break. The Agoura High School production runs Dec. 3 to 6 and 11 to 13 in the school’s black box theater. Visit www.thePAECs.org.

Agoura High School’s theater department will present the Neil Simon comedy “Fools” in December.

The comic fable is set in a fictitious 19th century Russian hamlet whose population has been cursed with chronic stupidity for the past 200 years.

The main character, the town’s new schoolteacher Leon Tolchinsky, is astonished to find the residents of the community sweeping the dust from their stoops back into their homes and others milking their cows upside down to produce more cream.

Leon learns he must break the curse within 24 hours or he too will forever be a dimwit. Comedic complications arise when the teacher falls in love with a girl so clueless that she only recently learned how to sit down.

The play, originally produced in 1981, was said to have been written by Neil Simon as part of a divorce settlement. Since his ex-wife was promised the proceeds of his next play, Simon reportedly tried to write a dog of a show that would close quickly on Broadway. The play ran only 34 days, from April 6 to May 9, 1981.

Thought it initially flopped on Broadway, the play still lives on as a quirky school production.

Agoura High drama teacher Elizabeth Brasler is directing the show, which will be presented in the black box theater in the school’s performing arts education center.

Many roles have been double cast.

Senior Adam Fisher and junior Chris Reilly will play Leon Tolchinsky.

Sophia will be portrayed by senior Jordan Kerns and junior Katelyn Kelley.

Parker Apple, a senior, will fill the doctor’s role, and seniors Jeremy Elder and Ari Grossman will play Count Gregor, Leon’s rival who proposes to Sophia twice a day.

Show times are 7 p.m. Dec. 3 to 6 and Dec. 11 to 13. There willalsobea2p.m.performance Sat., Dec. 6.

Tickets are available at www.thePAECs.org. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $ 15 for students with ASB cards.


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