The UW-Eau Claire Music and Theatre Arts Department is about ready to perform their newest production, A Man of No Importance. This play tells the story of a small, amateur theateR group in Dublin, Ireland. The director of the group is Alfie Byrne, a bus conductor who wants to stage a production of Oscar Wilde’s tragedy Salome at the church in which the group is based. Salome is a one-act play that tells the Biblical story of Salome, the stepdaughter of Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee and Perea. Salome, much to Herod’s dismay, requests the head of John the Baptist as a reward for dancing the dance of the seven veils. His dramatic selection causes problems for Alfie, as the church doesn’t like the subject matter of the play. As the show progresses, Alfie becomes the “star” of the play as he goes through the life of a man of no importance, trying to bring this play together amidst a church that doesn’t want it and other stageworthy drama. A Man of No Importance is based on the 1994 Albert Finney film of the same name. The play itself was originally written by Terrence McNally, with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Thanks to UW-Eau Claire’s own hard-working theater group, directed by associate professor Richard Nimke, you now have the opportunity to experience this story for yourself.

A Man of No Importance • Feb. 20-22, Feb. 26-28 and Mar. 1, 7:30 pm; Mar. 2, 1:30pm • Riverside Theatre, Haas Fine Arts Center, UW-Eau Claire • $14 general public, $12 senior citizens (62 and older), $4 for UWEC students, $12 for UWEC faculty/staff • (715) 836-3727 or (800) 949-8932.