Starting May 25 and running through June 10th, Center on the Square will be presenting The Dining Room, a nostalgic look back on a bygone era, written by A.R. Gurney and directed by Carla Fuller.

The play is set in the dining room of a typical well-to-do household, the place where the family assembled daily for breakfast and dinner and for any and all special occasions. The action is a mosaic of interrelated scenes—some funny, some touching, some rueful—which, taken together, create an in-depth portrait of a vanishing species: the upper-middle-class WASP. The actors change roles, personalities and ages with virtuoso skill as they portray a wide variety of characters, from little boys to stern grandfathers, and from giggling teenage girls to Irish housemaids. Each vignette introduces a new set of people and events; a father lectures his son on grammar and politics; a boy returns from boarding school to discover his mother's infidelity; a senile grandmother doesn't recognize her own sons at Christmas dinner; a daughter, her marriage a shambles, pleads futilely to return home, etc. Dovetailing swiftly and smoothly, the varied scenes coalesce, ultimately, into a theatrical experience of exceptional range, compassionate humor and abundant humanity. The show features many Center on the Square favorites, including Randy McLeod, Dot Hatfield, Susan Bucher, Brody Richards, Jason Fuller, Tiffany Evans, Andrew White and Sophia Fuller.

“The actors, who play multiple roles throughout the show, have shown tremendous commitment in reaching beyond their own personalities to portray the variety of characters” Says Director Carla Fuller. “Chatillon Plessis said, ‘The dining room is a theater…the table a stage’ and never has that been more true than in this production”

Actor Randy McLeod adds, “This show is a slice of the American family. Beware! All of those conversations you thought were so unique to your family might appear before your eyes.”

Dinner performances of “The Dining Room” by A.R. Gurney are scheduled for May 26th and 25th, as well as June 1, 2, 8 and 9. The doors open at 6:15 each night, with the dinner buffet opening at 6:30 p.m. and curtain one hour later. May 31st is Pizza Playhouse. The Sunday, June 10 performance will be a matinee with lunch at 12:30 p.m. and curtain one hour later. Admission prices are $27 for dinner and the show and $24 for seniors. Pizza Playhouse is $18 per person. For the Sunday matinee, admission is $24 for lunch and the show and $21 for seniors. May 24 is Preview Night/Pay What You Can Night. Tickets for the show must be bought at least 24 hours in advance for dinner shows and can be purchased by calling 501-368-0111 or going to our website at www.centeronthesquare.org.

Catering for “The Dining Room” is provided by KJ’s Restaurant, and Center on the Square continues the perennial favorite Thursday evening event, Pizza Playhouse, which provides a fun way to see shows at a discounted rate. For more information or to make reservations, call 501-368-0111 or visit www.centeronthesquare.org.

Associate Sponsors for this show are B&B Oil, Crain Media and Regions Bank.

The Performing Arts Center on the Square is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the expansion and appreciation of the performing arts in the region. Contributions are welcome and are tax-deductible. Center on the Square is supported in part by the Arkansas Arts Council, a division of the Arkansas Department of Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Center on the Square is handicapped accessible for all performances and interpretation for the deaf is available at the Thursday evening performance of the show by request.