This spring, the French play Tartuffe, by Molire will take the stage in the Brookfield East drama department. While the play is set in late 1600s France, the Brookfield East Drama department is presenting Tartuffe with a bit of a twist: a Western twist by setting the play in the Wild West. With bull riders, revolters, southern accents, and cowboy hats, the play is sure to be packed with all sorts of fun and interesting moments. 

Performed for the first time in 1664, Tartuffe was originally a French dramatic comedy centering around the story of Tartuffe, a hypocrite who claims piety while causing damage to various family relationships and causing strain through his schemes. The play focuses on themes of deceit, hypocrisy, and uncovering frustrating truths.

Orgon – Callum Mayne

Orgon, the main protagonist of the play Tartuffe, is played by Calum Mayne (10), a sophomore at East. For Callum, Tartuffe will be his fourth show at Brookfield East. He enjoys the voice and role of his character, and how different Orgon’s personality is from his own. He also thinks that the Western twist was a great idea. Most of all, Callum enjoys watching the story piece together and performing for an audience. Callum encourages  others to, “Come see the show, you’ll be glad you did.”

Tartuffe – Ryder Ruck

Ryder Ruck, a senior at East, will be playing Tartuffe’s hypocritical antagonist– Tartuffe himself! Ryder has performed in several shows, his favorites being The Little Mermaid, Alice By Heart, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Into The Woods. So far in Tartuffe, Ryder has enjoyed the challenge of finding ways to play Tartuffe, with his expressions and actions. The most rewarding part of the play to Ryder is the amount of creative freedom he and the other actors have gotten through the process of the play– the creativity with playing with the art form of acting and storytelling. Ryder is happy to share his passions through theater, and says, “Come see the show!! It will be a great time and you will definitely be laughing the whole way through!” 

Dorine – Norah Holdmann

Norah Holdmann, a freshman at East, plays the sarcastic, witty, and sensible character, Dorine, in the play Tartuffe. Norah has performed in musicals, including last fall’s musical The Little Mermaid. Tartuffe will be both Norah’s first play and her first major role. She enjoys Dorine’s personality and the line, “you’ve been tartuffified.” In addition, Norah loves that her character argues with other characters… a lot. She highlights that being a part of the play has been a fun and new experience. 

Madame Pernelle – Brayden Hafeman

Madame Pernelle, the fierce mother of Orgon, is played by Brayden Hafeman, a junior at Brookfield East. Brayden has performed in several of the past plays at Brookfield East including Rumors and Much Ado About Nothing. One thing Brayden absolutely loves about her role is “getting to play a sassier old person”– something that she feels she excels at. For Brayden, playing Madame Pernelle is both funny and entertaining. Brayden also enjoys seeing her castmates develop their characters and watching her castmates bond with each other. But the most rewarding part of theater for her is the final night– seeing castmates being able to celebrate and be proud of each other after the show is over.

The play Tartuffe is a comical French play that will be performed by Brookfield East students next week! After months of work and dedication, the students and their directors will put on this play at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center in Brookfield. Tickets for the show have gone on sale in the Wilson Center box office and online. Make sure to buy some and see this fun show. Get ready to be TARTUFFIFIED!