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Colby-Sawyer College to Host 'All in the Timing,' Comedic Performance of Six Short Plays

NEW LONDON, N.H. – Colby-Sawyer College will host “All in the Timing,” a production of six one-act plays written by David Ives and produced by the Colby-Sawyer Players. Laden with wordplay, satire and plenty of humor, these short plays promise to give the audience both endless laughter and food for thought. All aspects of the performance, including costumes, acting, design, direction and production, are the results of student effort.

“All in the Timing” will be presented on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9, at 7 p.m. in the Sawyer Center Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For tickets, call the Colby-Sawyer box office at (603) 526-3670.

American playwright David Ives wrote the six short plays that comprise “All in the Timing” between 1987 and 1993. The six plays are entitled “Sure Thing,” “Words, Words, Words,” “The Universal Language,” “Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread,” “The Philadelphia” and “The Death of Trotsky.” Mostly comedies, these plays combine outlandish plots, philosophical topics and witty scripts to create a hilarious, thought-provoking production.

“Sure Thing,” directed by Travis Carlson, follows the blockade-loaded road to love for two people (played by Casey Lubell and Chris McCarthy) who meet in a café. The contemporary comedy follows the conversation between the two as a bell chiming offstage continually interrupts and derails their budding romance.

“Words, Words, Words,” directed by Victoria Hersey, chronicles the infinite monkey theorem, which states that three monkeys typing into infinity will almost surely compose a text, in this case, “Hamlet.” The play explores exactly what three monkeys, played by Alex Bianco, Joshua Hardy and Dan Moir, would discuss while sitting at their typewriters.

“The Universal Language,” directed by Kayla Pingree, follows the interactions of a stuttering young woman, Dawn (Leah Hodder-Romano), with Don (Andrew Francis), the teacher and creator of the wildly comic language, Unamunda. The play, also featuring Ben Craver, follows their lesson through hysterics and explosively funny conversations as Don and Dawn fall in love.

“Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread,” directed by John C. McCarthy, is a musical parody in classic Glassian style that follows the composer, played by Devin Wilkie, as he goes through an existential crisis in a bakery. Ryan Foley, Scott Gross and Christine Wertz also perform in the play.

“The Philadelphia,” directed by Rose Poney, follows a young man, played by Aaron Hodge, in a restaurant who falls into a “Philadelphia,” a state that resembles the Twilight Zone in which it is impossible for him to receive anything he asks for. The young man eventually learns that the solution to this problem is to ask for the opposite of what he desires. The play also features Briana Hailey and Eric Harbeck.

“Variations on the Death of Trotsky,” directed by Suzanna Brown, follows the Russian revolutionary, played by Nick Ciarlente, on the day of his assassination as he tries to cope with the ice-climbing pick he has discovered to be lodged in his head. The play also features Katie O'Connor and Teagan Ramos.

The Colby-Sawyer Players is a student-run organization that gives all students an opportunity to be involved with theatrical productions. The players produce a small-scale theatrical production each year in either the fall or spring semester. The organization gives students opportunities to discuss theater with others who appreciate the performing arts and promote theater appreciation across the college and area communities.


Colby-Sawyer College is a comprehensive college that integrates the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation. Founded in 1837, Colby-Sawyer is located in the scenic Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire. Learn more about the college's vibrant teaching and learning community at www.colby-sawyer.edu. Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main Street, New London, N.H. 03257 (603) 526-3000