Theatre presenting award-winning comedy ‘God of Carnage’

A meeting of parents goes awry when Theatre Northwest stages its latest production, “God of Carnage,” this month.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29, in the Studio Theater at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $6 and may be purchased online, at www.nwmissouri.edu/finearts/theatre/ or at the box office one hour prior to showtime.

The winner of the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play, “God of Carnage” depicts an evening in the lives of two couples in a Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood. When the couples meet about a playground incident involving their 11-year-old boys, drinks flow and the civil discussion gives way to tension-filled sparring. The men gang up on the women, and the spouses switch sides as the fighting continues, leaving their principles in tatters.

“It talks about how people put facades up, and then as things get worse or they get attacked, their true selves start to come out, and it kind of shows the frailty of marriage,” said Billie McCoy, a junior speech and theatre education major from Raytown, Missouri, who is directing the play.

Mara Mondt, a first-year speech and theatre education major from Assaria, Kansas, portrays one of the mothers, Veronica. “God of Carnage” is a play she has wanted to act in for years, she said, and she is enjoying the challenge it provides.

“I’ve always loved dark comedies, especially those that explore questions about modern society,” Mondt said. “I find the characters in this show endlessly fascinating because they are so realistic. I can envision every one of them as a real person and not just as a character.”

Because its characters and premise are realistic, audiences will find the play relatable, Mondt said.  

“If you’ve had an argument, then you’ve probably lost your cool during an argument,” she said. “This show has something for everyone to enjoy. There are moments of anger and sadness, but there also these beautiful moments of understanding.”

The play is being staged as part of Theatre Northwest’s Lab Series, which features productions directed, acted, designed and stage-managed by students. Participation in the series is required for speech and theatre education majors.

From the director’s chair, McCoy has continued to hone her skills in the theatre field with the goal of leading a play that successfully entertains its audiences.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you have to trust yourself and trust that you know what you’re doing,” she said. “When you’re directing you have this vision in mind, like I want this show, I know what it’s gonna look like, I know what I want. You have to trust yourself and trust everybody around you who’s working on the show.”

The Theatre Northwest season concludes with “Pride and Prejudice: A New Musical” April 10-13.