Professor Charles Falcon directs 24th show with ‘The Underpants.’
By Carlos Ferrand
cferrand@student.alamo.edu
In 1910, German playwright Carl Sternheim wrote a farce called “Die Hose.” Almost 100 years later, comedian legend Steve Martin adapted that farce and “The Underpants” premiered in April 2002.
On Thursday, Charles Falcon, director and speech and drama professor, and the cast of “The Underpants” bring that farce to this college.
What would happen if a woman were to lose her underpants in a crowd during a parade?
What would her husband think or do with a wife unable to keep her unmentionables up in public?
And what kind of twist would we see if two gentlemen in the crowd noticed the undies undoing, and then try to rent the room her husband is renting in their apartment?
Those are the kinds of questions Falcon will answer in his production of “The Underpants.”
Auditions for the play were in December before the holiday break. On Jan. 7, 15 days before classes resumed, the cast reassembled and rehearsals began.
“This cast is unbelievable, and more than anything these people are consummate professionals,” Falcon said.
“We weren’t even in school on the seventh and they were still on vacation, but these kids all came in, every single day,” he said.
While the cast works hard to memorize lines and cues, technical director Debbie Coats and technical assistant Rey Cardenas work just as hard building the set.
The set was designed by theater Instructor Ronald Watson, and was designed to sit at an angle to give the audience a “topsy-turvy” feeling, Falcon said.
He said the characters can relate to that feeling because the comedy itself is topsy-turvy.
“The stage is unique and different,” he said
Watson also designed the costumes to reflect an early 1900s Germany.
With less then one week until opening night, Falcon joked about being “worried stiff” but knows all too well that it is a normal feeling.
“We still have a lot of work to do, we have a lot of discoveries to make. There is still so much to do. We will be going (preparing) to the last minute but that is the way we always work. That’s the nature of our baby,” he said.
Falcon acknowledged all those involved and especially the students for working hard to prepare for the play.
“Amazing cast doing an amazing play. An amazing evening of theater, you will be amazed. Don’t miss it,” he said.
After reading the script over a year ago, Falcon decided that “The Underpants” would be his 24th show.
Falcon is no rookie when it comes to directing shows. He has directed 23 shows in his time at this college.
The first show he ever directed was “Another Antigone” in 1992, but his favorite was “Twilight of Golds” in 1996.
“The Underpants” opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the theater in McCreless Hall. It continues at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Feb. 14-16. Matinees are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday and Feb. 17.
The show is $2 with Alamo College ID, $8 for seniors and active military and $10 general admission.
This play contains adult language and themes.
For more information, call 210-486-0255.