Have your parents ever dragged you to a boring museum? Have you ever noticed those people that stand around and look at nonsensical pieces of artwork?

If the answer is yes, then you’re sure to enjoy Staples Players’ final production of the year, Museum, a comedy directed by August Laska ’13 being performed at Toquet Hall this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

“Museum offers a view into the final day of an exhibit of three contemporary American artists in a museum in New York City,” says Laska. “Throughout the day, some 40 people visit the show: art lovers, skeptics, foreigners, students, lost souls, fellow artists, and of course, museum guards. This hilarious comedy satirizes the subjective opinions about modern art.”

The Museum production team consists of Laska, his assistant director Annie Cooperstone ’13 and producer Will Haskell ’14.

“It’s been great to have some peer support throughout this stressful process, especially some of my close friends like Annie and Will,” says Laska.

Cooperstone has equal praise. “August has been an incredible director, it’s been quite obvious for the entire process that he is creative, effective, and supportive,” she says. “My role has essentially been helping August see the show from another pair of eyes. It’s easy to get lost in your work as a director and I think having an assistant director is the perfect way to pull yourself out and look at it from afar.”

The trio has been rehearsing with a cast of three juniors and 30 freshmen and sophomores since the beginning of May. While that may seem like a wide age range, the older kids have stepped up as role models for the younger actors.

“We did not have a lot of time to put it together,” says Cara McNiff ’14, one of the three juniors in the show. “However, with the time we did have, we created a very funny and intriguing play that I have no doubt audiences will enjoy.”

Something especially intriguing about this show is that not only is it being performed at Toquet Hall, but it’s also “in the round.” This arrangement has set Museum apart from other shows that have been done in Toquet, and according to the production team, makes for a much more tangible piece of theater.

“It’s always nice to experience a change of scenery,” says Cooperstone. “There are seats on 3 sides of the ‘stage’ which extends to the floor below the traditional platform stage.”

For Laska, Museum has been the perfect way to end his four years in Players, and also a good way to keep him motivated while on internship.

“After this experience, I may want to continue directing theatre productions in the future,” he says. “Overall this has been an incredible experience; one that I would not have changed at all.”

Museum is a show you don’t want to miss! The show opens 7:30pm tonight, June 6^th, with a performance on Friday June 7 at 7:30pm and Sunday June 9 at 4pm. And remember—please don’t handle the artworks.