URBANA — Director Barbara Ridenour has announced the cast of this year's fall play, "The Miser":

• Harpagon — Zack Goldberg
• Cléante — Ethan Schiller
• Elise — Stefanie Senior
• Valère — Ben Zehr
• Mariane — Vivian Robison
• Master Simon — Maia Gersten
• Frosine — Anna Gooler
• La Flèche — Andrew LaPointe
• Jacqueline — Kahlilah Cooke
• First Servant — Stirling Hobgood
• Second Servant — Matthew Meyer
• Justice — Katy Metcalf
• Clerk — Arch Robison
• Seigneur Anselme — TBA

The play will be performed 7 p.m. Nov. 5 and 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 and 7 in the North Attic Playhouse.

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known under his stage name of Molière, wrote "The Miser" in 1668. The plot of the five-act comedy revolves around Harpagon, an old man who is rich but is terrified of people stealing his money and giving his wealth away.

While Harpagon makes plans for his daughter, Elise, to marry Anselme, an old man, Elise has already found love in Valere, her father's manservant. Valere may be in fact a wealthy heir, but he isn't certain.

Harpagon himself wants to marry Mariane, who just happens to be the sweetheart of Harpagon's son, Cléante.

Also among the characters is the crafty matchmaker Frosine, who schemes with La Flèche, Cléante's valet. They and the young lovers team up with Mistress Jacqueline, Harpagon's saucy cook/coach driver (Harpagon, of course, wouldn't pay two salaries if he could avoid it) to try to blackmail Harpagon into letting everybody marry the person they want.

The witty dialogue is sure to delight Uni audiences, as in this brief excerpt from Act III:

MARIANE (Aside to FROSINE):
That horrid man! Oh, might we just ignore him?
HARPAGON:
What's that?
FROSINE:
She told me how she does adore him.
HARPAGON:
You honor me, my dear.
MARIANE (Aside to FROSINE):
Oh, what a brute!
HARPAGON:
What did she say?
FROSINE:
She thinks that you are cute.
HARPAGON:
Such joy, my love! My sweet!
MARIANE (Aside to FROSINE):
I might explode!
FROSINE (To Harpagon):
She longs for when she might join your abode.

Auditions took place Monday through Wednesday. The cast was announced Friday, and practice begins today after school.