NW Missouri Times

Theatre Northwest is set to present the award-winning comedy "God of Carnage" later this month. The performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 28, and Saturday, March 29, at the Studio Theater in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets cost $6 and can be purchased online or at the box office an hour before showtime.

The play, which won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play, explores an evening in the lives of two couples from a Brooklyn neighborhood. A meeting about a playground incident involving their sons turns into a heated exchange as tensions rise and allegiances shift.

A junior speech and theatre education major from Raytown, Missouri, is directing the production. She describes it as an exploration of how facades crumble under pressure, revealing true selves and highlighting marital fragility.

Mara Mondt, portraying one of the mothers named Veronica, is a first-year speech and theatre education major from Assaria, Kansas. She expresses her enthusiasm for dark comedies that question modern society's norms: “I’ve always loved dark comedies... I find the characters in this show endlessly fascinating because they are so realistic.”

Mondt believes audiences will relate to its realism: “If you’ve had an argument... you’ve probably lost your cool during an argument,” she said. The play offers moments of anger, sadness, and understanding.

The production is part of Theatre Northwest’s Lab Series involving student participation in various roles such as directing and stage management. The director shares insights gained through this experience: “The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you have to trust yourself... You have to trust yourself and trust everybody around you who’s working on the show.”

The season will conclude with "Pride and Prejudice: A New Musical," running April 10-13.