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State Sen. Yudichak decides not to run for Barletta seat in Congress

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Theater listings: Sept. 29 to Oct. 5

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; How would you portray a car? Specifically, how would you act the part of a jalopy that has seen better days?</p><p>&#8220;Physically? I squat and hold flashlights,&#8221; said Kelsey Butler, of Middletown, N.J., who portrays the title character&#8217;s car in Matthew Burnett&#8217;s &#8220;Theophilus North,&#8221; the comedy that opens the 2017-2018 theater season at Wilkes University.</p><p>&#8220;She&#8217;s on her last legs and she knows it,&#8221; Butler said, describing the emotional condition of the vehicle, which is destined to sputter to a halt in a wealthy, oceanside community during the summer of 1926.</p><p>The breakdown strands a schoolteacher named Theophilus North in Newport, R.I., where he mingles with several unusual characters and takes on a few summer jobs.</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s a sweetheart,&#8221; said Jordyn Williams, of Hawley, who is working on sound for the production. &#8220;He&#8217;s always trying to be helpful.&#8221;</p><p>But not everyone appreciates Theophilus&#8217; goodwill.</p><p>&#8220;He takes a job reading out loud to my father,&#8221; said Michaela Catapano, of Lake Grove, N.Y., speaking in character as Sarah Bosworth, daughter of a wealthy doctor. &#8220;He&#8217;s too enthusiastic for my liking.&#8221;</p><p>The character Catapano plays is a disagreeable daughter keeping &#8220;a death watch&#8221; over her dad.</p><p>&#8220;She&#8217;s bitter and condescending and rude to Theophilus,&#8221; Catapano said.</p><p>Their relationship can be hilarious, said Michael Rogers, of Girard, describing a scene in which Theophilus and Sarah aim a series of indignant &#8220;hmph!&#8221; sounds at each other.</p><p>Along with most of the cast, Rogers has more than one character to portray.</p><p>In his role as Henry Simmons, he said, he advises Theophilus on how to deal with the less pleasant folks and &#8220;navigate around their antics&#8221; as he undertakes one job after another.</p><p>When new acquaintances don&#8217;t treat Theophilus well, &#8220;he gives it right back to them,&#8221; said Alex Booth, of New Hampton, N.Y., who plays the title role. &#8220;Sometimes that gets him into trouble.&#8221;</p><p>By the end of the story, there will be shift in attitudes, said Williams, the sound person. &#8220;We have this really cool jazz song that will build an emotional connection between Theophilus and the audience, and really make the audience feel what he&#8217;s feeling.&#8221;</p><p>From their vantage point working on lighting, Sinclair Mason, of Long Beach, N.Y., and Celena Granito, of Schuylkill County, said they can see the show is filled with amusing and touching moments.</p><p>&#8220;By the end, I have tears in my eyes,&#8221; Granito said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Alex Booth portrays the title character in &#8216;Theophilus North&#8217; and Kelsey Butler portrays his car, with flashlights as headlights, as Wilkes University opens its 2017-2018 theater season. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_Alex-Booth-Kelsey-Butler-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Alex Booth portrays the title character in &#8216;Theophilus North&#8217; and Kelsey Butler portrays his car, with flashlights as headlights, as Wilkes University opens its 2017-2018 theater season. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p><strong>By Mary Therese Biebel</strong></p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>IF YOU GO</strong></p><p><strong>What:</strong> &#8216;Theophilus North&#8217;</p><p><strong>When:</strong> 8 p.m. Sept. today, tomorrow and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Wilkes University&#8217;s Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 239 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre.</p><p><strong>Tickets:</strong> $10, $5 for students and seniors and free for all Wilkes students, faculty and staff with ID.</p><p><strong> Parking:</strong> available at the Henry Student Center</p><p><strong>Info:</strong> 570-408-4540.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Life is an adventure for ‘Theophilus North’