By Cooper Ebersbach, ’16, Contributor

The CCDS Theatre Department’s “Moon Over Buffalo”  is energetic, hilarious, and just a little confusing. The pace is quick, the jokes are clever, and the performances engaging.

A comedy by Ken Ludwig set in 1953, “Moon Over Buffalo” tells the story of a semi-washed up stage actor named George (brilliantly played by Douglas Tallmadge ’14) struggling with the rise of television and the decline of live performances.  Enter a near deaf mother-in-law (played by Kathryn Burress ’16 and Lynn Im ’15–whose lines were spot on and delivered in perfect deadpan in the performance), his wife Charlotte (played by Rachel Epstein ’14 and Victoria Paff ’14) dealing with a marriage that is falling apart, and a tangled web of love triangles (and squares and octagons!). There’s also Paul (the perfectly cast Reid Gaede ’14), the former boyfriend of Rosalind (Elizabeth Miller ’15 and Marissa Beyette ‘15), Rosalind’s fiancée Howard ( Brian McSwiggen ’14), another actress Eileen (Taylor Boggs ’16 and Anna Beyette ’17), and the lawyer Richard (Donovan Salter ’16 and Frankie Grossi ’16).

Victoria Paff as Charlotte embodies her character’s love/hate relationship with husband George and the sword fight between them flowed effortlessly across the appropriately decorated period set. Douglas Tallmadge  fully embraces “George” and his drunken scenes are laugh out loud funny. Elizabeth Miller is charming as daughter Roz. Her stage presence and chemistry with Reid Gaede (Paul) is sweet. Brian McSwiggen draws laughs as the kidnapped fiancé Howard. Anna Beyette ’17 brings a fresh face to the CCDS stage as the naïve but darling Eileen. Frankie Grossi ’16 fits the bill as a lawyer trying to figure out these wacky theater people.

Beginning with the announcement of Rosalind’s engagement to Howard, and the swordfight that proceeds minutes later, the accusation of cheating after the sword fight, a baby, the potential movie deal, the missing (and drunk) George, and the famous producer flying in to see their show, the show gets quicker, funnier, and more intense with each passing moment.

A must see for anyone who loves quick comedy, innuendos, 50s style slapstick, or just the theatre in general. The performances for Moon Over Buffalo are Thursday and Friday nights at 7:00, with a Saturday Matinee at 1:00 and a final show at 7:00.

(Only one cast was reviewed for this article.)