PlayMakers   Repertory   Company's
You Can't Take It with You Is Timeless

It's all in the title. PlayMakers Repertory Company's current production of You Can't Take It with You, showing now through Sunday, Dec. 7th, in UNC-Chapel Hill's lovely Paul Green Theatre, carries a relevant message for all the daily stress that we carry today, especially as the holidays approach and our most stereotypical family dynamics surface.

Originally written in 1936 by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, and directed for PlayMakers by Nathaniel P. Claridad, You Can't Take It with You is a chaotic comedy about what truly matters in our lives.

PlayMakers Repertory Company will stage Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's You Can't Take It with You, directed
by Nathaniel P. Claridad, on Nov. 19-Dec. 7 in UNC-Chapel Hill's Paul Green Theatre (photo by Huth Photo)

The tone is set early as 1930s advertisement reels play in the house upon entry, marking absurd and, at times, blithely optimistic statements that subtly reveal the concerns of the time. The set is intricate and engaging, and suits the stage at PlayMakers Rep's Paul Green Theatre incredibly well, as it protrudes into the audience to give more depth and angles from the house.

Act I begins with an overview of the Sycamore family, adding layers of ridiculous personas to the scene. Much of Act I is a perfect picture of chaos, but it shows how happy each character is with themselves and the people around them. As the act progresses, the "normal" daughter of the family, Alice Sycamore, returns and informs her family that they'll be hosting the man who has been courting her, Tony Kirby, the son of her uptight Wall Street boss.

Stars include (from left) Reez Bailey as Tony Kirby, Delaney Jackson as Alice, and Elizabeth Dye as Essie (photo by Huth Photo)

Later in the evening, Alice and Tony return to the house and have a private moment, which is constantly interrupted by her family's antics. Alice and Tony are shown to be incredibly happy together; but Alice thinks that their families are incompatible, setting up possibly the most disastrous family dinner in history in the second act. Act I ends with a sweet moment after Tony leaves, when Alice's father, Paul Sycamore, proudly shows off a new firework that he's made and Alice is reminded of her family.

The writing of the show makes the most of its tone shifts, using the madness and pacing of the family dynamic to contrast the sweeter, wholesome moments that show the love and peace that the Sycamore's have. The production team makes the absolute most of these moments, especially lighting designer Kathy A. Perkins, who uses some impressive motifs to reflect Alice's realizations about her family, gradually expanding the light from the firework as the rest of the stage fades to black.

You Can't Take It with You stars Delaney Jackson as Alice and Ray Anthony Thomas as Martin Vanderhof (photo by Huth Photo)

Act II devolves in the best and worst possible ways, showing the hilariously bad family dinner and Alice's attempts to break off her engagement to Tony, despite her obvious love for him. The family makes impassioned pleas for her not to leave, and the heads of each family, Tony's father and Alice's grandfather, express their philosophies and what it means to ultimately be happy.

PlayMakers Rep, as always, delivers a strong performance on all ends, though this time around, the technical directors may take the top prize. On top of the stellar lighting, the set, designed by Daniel Zimmerman; and the blocking, directed by movement coach Tracy Bersley, are remarkable.

You Can't Take It with You at PlayMakers Rep stars Julia Gibson as Penelope Sycamore (photo by Huth Photo)

The set makes full use of the depth of the stage, allowing the chaos to fully unfold and draw the eye to multiple points. The staging and blocking may be the most impressive part of the show. The cast uses the props and the set to perfection, moving around the stage seamlessly and adding to the comedic timing of the show.

The cast has some incredible chemistry, and they clearly enjoyed each dynamic and allowed themselves to have fun with the caricature-esque roles, making the experience all the more genuine. Delaney Jackson (Alice Sycamore) plays the nuances perfectly, showing the frustration and love that she has for her family. Ray Anthony Thomas (Martin Vanderhof) absolutely nails the wily but wholesome grandfather, who delivers the crowning monologue at the end of the show.

You Can't Take It with You at PlayMakers Rep stars Reez Bailey as Tony Kirby and Delaney Jackson as Alice (photo by Huth Photo)

Julia Gibson (Penelope Sycamore) steals the show at times with her scattered but loveable doting. Jadah Johnson (Rheba), Nate John Mark (Donald), and Jim Bray (Mr. De Pinna) bring the show together with their hilarious antics as supporting characters. At times, the trans-Atlantic language impeded some of the cast's delivery; but overall, it didn't take away from the fun, heartfelt show.

Ultimately, You Can't Take It with You reminds us that at every point in history, there will always be worries that take us away from the things and, more importantly, people that we love. What matters is that we're happy with who we are, what we do, and who we do it with. For a timeless reminder to have some fun, PlayMakers Repertory Company's You Can't Take It with You is a wonderful show to see.

You Can't Take It with You stars Trevor Johnson (left) as Paul Sycamore and Jim Bray as Mr. De Pinna (photo by Huth Photo)

Moss Hart and George F. Kaufman's YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, 25, 26, and 28-30 and Dec. 3-7), directed by Nathaniel P. Claridad and starring (in alphabetical order) Reez Bailey as Tony Kirby, Dawson Boudreaux as Mr. De Pinna, Jeffrey Blair Cornell as Boris Kolenkhov, Matthew Donahue as Ed, Elizabeth Dye as Essie, Julia Gibson as Penelope Sycamore, Douglas S. Hall as Mr. Kirby, Kathryn Hunter-Williams as Mrs. Kirby, Delaney Jackson as Alice Sycamore, Jadah Johnson as Rheba, Trevor Johnson as Paul Sycamore, Nate John Mark as Donald, Caroline Marques as a Government Agent, Trevele Morgan as a Government Agent, Adam Moskowitz as Henderson, Celeste Pelletier as a Government Agent, Gwendolyn Schwinke as Olga, Ray Anthony Thomas as Martin Vanderhof, Mengwe Wapimewah as Gay Wellington (PlayMakersRepertoryCompany in the Paul Green Theatre in UNC-Chapel Hill's Joan H. Gillings Center for Dramatic Art). DIGITAL PLAYBILLS: https://online.fliphtml5.com/gtelh/nzvv/#p=1. Mobile Version: https://playmakersrep.org/playbill-for-you-cant-take-it-with-you/. Desktop Version: TRAILERS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71w-q1XpcDY&t=1s. FEATURETTE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaetUtW2mRQ&t=2s. PRESENTER: https://playmakersrep.org/, https://www.facebook.com/playmakersrep, https://www.instagram.com/playmakersrep/, https://www.tiktok.com/@playmakersrep, https://x.com/playmakersrep https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayMakers_Repertory_Company, and https://www.youtube.com/@PlayMakersRepertory. 2025-26 SEASON: https://playmakersrep.org/season/2025-2026/. PRC BLOG: https://playmakersrep.org/about-us/our-blog/. VENUE: https://playmakersrep.org/about-us/paul-green-theatre and https://unchistory.web.unc.edu/building-narratives/paul-green-theatre/. DIRECTIONS/PARKING: https://playmakersrep.org/visitor-info/directions-and-parking/. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU (1936 Broadway comedy [full title: You Can't Take It with You: A Comedy in Three Acts] and winner of the 1937 Pulitzer Prize in Drama): https://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=1163, https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/7433/you-cant-take-it-with-you, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/you-cant-take-it-with-you-9527, https://stageagent.com/shows/play/4036/you-can-t-take-it-with-you, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Can%27t_Take_It_with_You_(play). THE SCRIPT (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. STUDY GUIDE (Utah Shakespeare Festival): https://www.bard.org/study-guides/you-cant-take-it-with-you-study-guide/. MOSS HART (New York City-born playwright and screenwriter, 1904-61): https://www.concordtheatricals.com/a/1781/moss-hart, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/moss-hart-6153, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0366454/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moss_Hart. GEORGE S. KAUFMAN (Pittsburgh, PA-born playwright and screenwriter, nee George Simon Kaufman, 1889-1961): http://www.georgeskaufman.com/index.html, https://www.concordtheatricals.com/a/1827/george-s-kaufman, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/george-s-kaufman-5827, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0442151/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_S._Kaufman. CONTENT ADVISORY: PlayMakers Rep cautions that this show is "Recommended for ages 8 and up. Younger audiences may find this play too conversation-driven. You Can't Take It with You contains mild language and conflict." For details, click here and scroll down to the CONTENT TRANSPARENCY (SPOILERS AHEAD) section. RELATED EVENTS: For details, click here and scroll down to the Special Performances section. NOTE: Arts Access, Inc. of Raleigh will audio-describe and sign-language interpret the show's 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3rd, performance. TICKETS: $20 and up, plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. INFORMATION: 919-962-7529 or prcboxoffice@unc.edu. PLEASE DONATE TO: PlayMakers Repertory Company.

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