Sterling College Theatre Director Greg McGlynn and Ken Ludwig’s comedy Moon Over Buffalo are a perfect match. The play bursting with fast-paced humor and farce will be staged in Culbertson Auditorium on Friday and Saturday, November 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, November 10 at 2:00 p.m. 

The decision to bring this comedy to Sterling College Theatre was both a nostalgic nod and a celebration of stage comedy. “I love playing, directing, and building comedy farce theatre for the stage. Plus, Ken Ludwig is one of today’s leading playwrights for modern-day farce. It’s an obvious choice,” McGlynn said.  

McGlynn had the opportunity to see Carol Burnett (one of his favorite comedic actresses) play the lead in the show on Broadway in 1997. He said, “I knew then I would direct the show one day,” The Sterling College production will be McGlynn’s fourth time to direct the backstage comic farce.

But beyond the laughs, Moon Over Buffalo carries a more tender message, one that McGlynn feels will resonate with audiences. “The play has a message about the value of focusing on yourself and listening to your heart, finding forgiveness for those that you love,” he explained. This universal theme is wrapped in a whirlwind of comedic chaos, keeping the audience laughing while also reflecting on the importance of love and forgiveness.

From the actors to the set design, Moon Over Buffalo is all about big moments and challenging details, both of which demand commitment and stamina from the cast and crew. The show’s physical demands are rigorous, especially in its two-tiered set, which presents an “above and below” perspective on the action. 

As McGlynn described, “It’s a challenge to build a set that calls for two separate scenes playing simultaneously -- the theatre stage above the box set of the Green Room sitting underneath which must accommodate a trap door with a staircase leading down to the lower level with three slamming doors. It’s all pure farce theatre.” 

What sets Moon Over Buffalo apart is how it engages the actors and invites the audience to laugh, cheer, and feel the joy of theatre’s comic side. “Everyone enjoys a good laugh,” McGlynn noted, “and I hope the audience will enjoy the creative way of telling this story on two levels of stages and the physicality the actors go through to bring humor to the situation.” 

 “The door slamming scene is a great example of silly, exaggerated, physical farce theatre. The cast does a great job with the physical demands and timing of the scene,” McGlynn shared.

But perhaps even more challenging is the final scene, where the actors attempt to perform one of the plays within the play—with the lead actor grappling with a heavy dose of “drunken confusion.” This scene is bound to be one of the highlights, alongside Act I’s mayhem, making audiences feel as though they’re backstage, caught up in the actors’ own unfolding disaster.

Preparing for such a demanding show has also given students a unique opportunity to grow in both skill and confidence. “I hope they have learned and grown from practicing the art of comedic farce and the great physicality it demands,” McGlynn said. 

There’s also an unusual addition to their skill set: Sabre fencing. Though only two of the cast actually duel on stage in the story, the whole cast has enjoyed learning the art of the blade along with the art of farce theatre. 

McGlynn said. With humor, chaos, and a poignant message about love and forgiveness, Moon Over Buffalo is set to give Sterling audiences an unforgettable night of theatre—where every laugh, misstep, and madcap maneuver brings a heartfelt message home.

Tickets for Moon Over Buffalo are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available online at www.sterling.edu/arts and will also be available at the door before each performance. Center section seats are reserved but side section seats are general admission.

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.