Under the direction of Prof. Susan Russell, Gettysburg College's Department of Theatre Arts presents The Owl and Nightingale Players in Sir Tom Stoppard’s "Arcadia” April 19-23.

“Arcadia” is set in an English country house in both 1809 and present day. The activities of two modern scholars and the house's current residents are juxtaposed with the lives of those who lived there 180 years earlier. The play's set features a large table used by the characters in both past and present, and props are not removed when the production switches between time periods.

“The first time I saw this play, I certainly did not catch all the paradoxes, puzzles and puns, but I came out intoxicated by the frothy flow of ideas,” said Russell, the play’s director.

Performances in Kline Theatre will take place at 8 p.m. except for Sunday, April 22's matinee at 2 p.m. Admission is free of charge, but reservations are required for April 20 and 21. The ticket office can be reached at 717-337-6060. The Kline Theatre is in Brua Hall near Washington and Water streets.

Stoppard, a British contemporary playwright, has written prolifically for film, stage, television and radio. Known for his screenplays such as “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” and “Jumpers,” he has won one Academy Award and four Tony Awards. Themes of human rights, censorship and political freedom pervade his work along with exploration of linguistics and philosophy.

The cast includes Victoria Reynolds ’15 as Thomasina Coverly, Sean Pethybridge ’15 as Septimus Hodge, Steve Krzyzanowski ’12 as Jellaby, Riley Park ’13 as Ezra Charter, Wes Jackson ’14 as Richard Noakes and Chennelle Bryant-Harris ’12 as Lady Croom. “It has been a delight to work with this cast and crew, to hear the words to laugh, and to celebrate the joy of the mysteries of our remarkable universe,” added Russell.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.