Cast and crew are preparing for two performances later this week of the Hills?boro High School spring drama production of ?Is He Dead??
The comedy, written by Mark Twain and adapted by David Ives, will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the HHS auditorium.
Tickets are $5 for all ages and can be purchased at the door, which opens around 7 p.m. both days. No seats are reserved, but as of Monday, tickets were readily available.
?Is He Dead?? tells the story of Jean-Francois Millet, a young painter of genius, who is in love with Marie Leroux but in debt to a villainous picture-dealer, Bastien Andre. Andre threatens to foreclose on Millet and send him to debtor?s prison unless Andre is allowed to marry Marie.
In response to his situation, Millet is reminded that an artist?s paintings are much more valuable when the artist is no longer living. He realizes the only way he can pay his debts and keep Marie from marrying Andre is to die?or at least, appear to die.
Millet fakes his death while passing himself off as his own sister, the Widow Tillou. As a result, his paintings are bringing a fortune. Now a rich ?widow,? Millet must find a way to get out of the dress and return to life, so he can marry Marie.
Add to this situation the complications of mistaken identities, romantic deceptions, misleading disguises and eccentric and comical characters.
The cast includes the following: Jordan Riggs, Jake Wiebe, Peyton Loewen, Hayley Pankratz, Luke Moore, Molly Wiebe, Erin Wiebe, Bailey Kaufman, Rachel Schneider, Kate Litchfield, Allister Young, Josh Wiebe, Cody Delk, Meghan Leihy, Erin Winter and Letitia McClelland.
