Two cops, three crooks and eight different doors will arrive at the Kent State Stark Theatre Friday Nov. 9 as the cast members of “Unnecessary Farce” perform the first show of the season.

The comedy drama comes from playwright Paul Slade Smith and is the first of three plays chosen for the 2018-2019 season.

Director Jim Weaver chose the play earlier in the school year when he found that this play was exactly what he had been looking for as a part of the theatre season.

“I was trying to find something that would be a nice contrast,” Weaver said on his decision to use the play. “Something fun, something musical, and then the final show for the season is something dramatic and so this was definitely the one.”

“It’s a lot of fun. It’s silly, but it also gave the actors something, character-wise, to really sink their teeth into.”

The play’s storyline begins with a mayor who is under investigation for embezzlement. His accountant who is secretly wearing a microphone is due to meet him in a cheap motel room.

In the room next door, there are two undercover cops who are supposed to catch the meeting on videotape for evidence with the help of the accountant, but there’s a plethora of confusion as to who is in which room, who’s being videotaped, who’s taken the money, who’s hired a hitman, along with why the accountant keeps taking off her clothes.

Reis Rankin who is starring as Todd in the play says that he looks forward to seeing the audience’s reaction.

“We have such great chemistry among the cast including everyone behind the scenes that truly makes for a great show,” Rankin said.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors (55 and over) and non-KSU students. Tickets are free to all Kent State students with their current student IDs.

Performances will be shown November 9, 10, 16, and 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent State Stark Theatre. ASL-interpreted performances will be shown on November 11 and 18 at 2 p.m.

Allyson Nichols is the Social Science and Stark campus reporter. Contact her at [email protected].