The fall play is coming up soon, and the wild, slapstick comedy Imaginary Invalid is sure to be a big hit.

The Imaginary Invalid was written by the French playwright Moliere in the 16^th century and has been redone many times since then.  This particular version was recently created by Oded Gross and Tracy Young on the commission of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Seattle Prep will be the first school to perform it.  The reworking uses the same basic story as the original, but has been redone with a 1960’s vibe and a few modern references.  Mr. Othman, who is directing the play, says that it’s a “show full of laughs, that’ll raise your spirits,” and, “It’s a wonderful comedy that’s worth seeing.”

The play stars Max Kroeger as Argan, a rich, elderly hypochondriac obsessed with his medication, and Rachel Carlson as Toinette, his sarcastic servant who holds the family, and everything else, together.  Argan is faced with difficulties at every turn as he desperately tries to marry off his daughters before his supposedly soon-to-come death.  Argan’s two daughters – Angelique (Natalie Wong) and Louison (Annika Perez-Krikorian) are obsessed with finding love, Angelique: perfect in every way, and the hump-backed Lousion: also beautiful… on the inside.  The two carefree sisters are and very close to each other and adore Toinette, and their father.

As the story begins, Argan has found a match for his daughter Angelique in the form of Thomas Diafoirus (played by Thomas Lange), a nervous skinny boy with a loud, confident (rich) mother (Kit Tobin), and Argan plans to have them marry the next day.  This news is devastating to Angelique – who is in love instead with the dashing Cleante (Nick McCarthy) she met  the week before – and also to Louison who believes herself to be gorgeous, and is angry that she, as the eldest, isn’t getting married first.

Alongside this main story are a multitude of wacky subplots involving other characters.  Argan is being exploited by many a person.  Dr. Purgon (Lily Brown), Argan’s zany, egotistical doctor and his sidekick Monsieur Fleurant (Georgi Grimm) clash with Beralde (Max Hanson), Argan’s brazen brother.  Argan’s wife, Beline, (Siena Jeakle) is cheating on Argan with his attorney Monsieur DeBonefoi (George Kent) as they attempt to trick Argan into giving his wife his possessions.  As all this goes on, a new servant is introduced to the household – Guy (Matt Seib), the cool, confident brother of Toinette, who turns out to be deaf and mute–Or is he?.

Mr. Othman says the rehearsals are going well and, “we have a great cast this year.”  “It’s a show that’s going to surprise people, and they’re really going to love it.”