ABSURDITY AWAITS. “Charley’s Aunt - A Menomonie Farce,” an adaptation by Russell Slack with the Menomonie Theater Guild, will show on the weekends of Oct. 10-12 and 17-19 at The Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts in downtown Menomonie. The production, now set within the University of Wisconsin-Stout campus, follows the comical trials and tribulations of a Francis (Frank) Fleming along with his peers in school.

The question that will soon be on Chippewa Valley theatergoers minds: Who is Charley’s aunt? You can find the answer in a new production complete with mistaken identities, entangled romances, and at-times boisterous comedy — all set within a localized, steampunk world.

“Charley’s Aunt - A Menomonie Farce,” a production with the Menomonie Theater Guild, will show on the weekends of Oct. 10-12 and 17-19 at The Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts (205 Main St. E.) in downtown Menomonie.

The production, adapted and directed by Russell Slack, pays homage to the original 1892 farce, “Charley’s Aunt,” written by Brandon Thomas. In three acts, set during this time period at Oxford University in England, the play centers on Lord Fancourt Babberley and the (at times absurd) stories which ensue alongside his fellow undergraduate peers.

In this new adaptation, Slack, in turn, has reimagined the academic settings with a regional tie; the production now takes place in an early 1900s downtown Menomonie and the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

“I was interested in doing something that was farcical,” Slack said. “I read 'Charley’s Aunt,' and I found it very humorous — it relies on the misunderstandings between some of the characters and misinterpretation of ‘who’s who’ and that’s where the humor comes from.”

His adaptation has condensed the overall length, and features an underclassman instead of a butler and the plot includes a graduation from UW-Stout rather than Oxford — a departure from the original production.

Slack has also incorporated a steampunk aesthetic to the Chippewa Valley-set farce, he shared.

“I thought that (steampunk) tied really well into UW-Stout being a technical college, where they do specialize in the mechanics,” Slack said.

Through set designs and costuming, crafted by Marti Folz and Amber Robinson, this Victorian-era inspired and steam-powered inspiration will be brought to life with goggles, gears, stripes, and a do-it-yourself feel.

Rehearsals for the Menomonie farce, pictured above, have already taken shape — and are often led with an improvisational approach — directed by Slack, he said.

This 10-person cast features a seasoned cast of all ages, Slack said. In addition, the play features Josh Dolan-Neill as Francis (Frank) Fleming.

Dolan-Neill is no stranger to the role of Lord Fancourt Babberly, having first performed as the character in a former, traditional production of the play at Fall Creek High School.

“(Charley’s Aunt) was just this really wild, fun thing that I got to do in high school,” Dolan-Neill said. “Now, it’s 30 years later and I actually know what I’m doing, so that’s kind of fun.”

Three decades later, Dolan-Neill said nearly every aspect of the role has been reimagined through Slack’s adaptation; he brings a new dynamic energy to the goofy farce while still embedding his love for the performing arts and the craft of theatre throughout.

Rehearsals for the Menomonie farce thus far have been led with an improvisational approach, both Slack and Dolan-Neill shared. With each actor's interpretation of their character, new discoveries emerge — and inform — how the absurd scenes within the play unfold across the three acts, they said.

And, how each of the characters’ reimagined stories are encoded with ties to the city of Menomonie — and in many cases — the architecture of UW-Stout.

“We changed the character names — from the ones that were (set) in England, to all be Stout buildings,” Russell said. “There’s a Mr. Froggatt, a Mr. Curran, and a Mrs. Antrim.”

The all-ages friendly production offers Menomonie residents a humorous plot told by a regionally-based cast, with the opportunity to learn more about the places and spaces which surround them.

Catch a performance of “Charley’s Aunt - A Menomonie Farce” at the Mabel Tainter Center for The Arts in Menomonie. Showtimes are 7:30pm on Oct. 10, 11, 17, and 18, and 2pm on Oct. 12 and 19. To purchase tickets to the production ($20 general admission, $18 military/seniors/students) visit the Menomonie Theater Guild’s webpage online, menomonietheaterguild.org.