David Ghan/The Falcon From left to right: junior Josh Smyth as Paul, sophomore Chelsea Humphrey as Alice, senior David Roby as Tony Kirby, and senior Kiersten Likkel as Penny in “You Can’t Take It With You.”

Family. You can't live with them, and you can't live without them. Such is the case in the SPU theatre department's new production of "You Can't Take It With You," a classic American comedy set in the home of the eccentric Sycamore family.

Maybe "eccentric" isn't strong enough of a word. The family consists of a wanna-be-ballerina, a fireworks manufacturer, a xylophone player, a snake hunter, and a cape-wielding Russian expatriate, among others. Yes, they are quite the wild bunch.

Director George Scranton and the cast of 19 bring this American theatre staple, written by famous duo Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, to SPU for one all-important purpose: it's fun.

"It's fun, it's funny, it's a classic American comedy. We want to emphasize that," Scranton said in an interview during rehearsals in the dimly lit and hushed E.E. Bach Theatre.

The set for the family's home in "You Can't Take It With You" has a very comfortable feel to it, thanks in part to Don Yanik, designer of the show and head of the theatre department.

"I love to do interiors," he said. The set looks realistic, with many knickknacks and details.

Though it's easy to see that a lot of time and hard work has gone into the production, the effort comes from students. "You give them quality work to do, and they take ownership," Yanik said. "You're very proud of it."

What makes "You Can't Take It With You" an especially funny comedy is its lively cast of characters whose interactions with each other are hilarious and borderline embarrassing at some points. Sometimes it's like watching a train accident, one that you cannot take your eyes off of.

For example, at one point the Russian expatriate, Mr. Kolenkov, played by senior Steve Bauman, hurls the hoity-toity dinner guest Mr. Kirby, played by freshman Nate Corley, to the ground in an impressive wrestling move.

The crazy antics are balanced out by the play's virtuous love story between Alice Sycamore, played by Chelsea Humphrey, the only "normal" one in her family, and Tony Kirby, played by senior David Roby, an upper-crust fellow who finds the Sycamore family charming.

"I love comedy, but it's says something beyond the laugh," Scranton said, referring to the higher meaning that "You Can't Take It With You" grasps at. "This play does food and theology. That's what we're called to; we're called to the table. We're all looking forward to the great celebration. Metaphorically, I want us to celebrate that."

The play is focused on, for lack of a better word, weird family. Nonetheless, this family loves each other, and they make their table available to anyone else who needs a family. Scranton's directorial emphasis on this is intended to prove valuable to a Christian university made up of unique individuals.

This vision of acceptance of diversity is something that many students have been learning about as they read "You Can't Take It With You" in their UCOR 1000 classes. Those same students will also attend the play as part of their curriculum.

"You Can't Take It With You" opens tomorrow and runs through April 26. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday with a matinee performance on Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 general admission and $10 for students and seniors. For tickets and more information, call the fine arts box office at 206-281-2959.