The first major production of the year for the Department of Theatre and Dance at Sacramento State is Noel Coward?s “Hay Fever,” which is sure to be an unforgettable, entertaining play.

“Hay Fever” takes one weekend out of the life of the Bliss family, and shows the comical life they live, full of love affairs, adventures and chaos. Each member of the family invites a “special” guest to their London home, which creates pandemonium throughout the household. In each situation, the importance of social status and etiquette in the late Victorian era is made fun of. This is certainly not the traditional 1920s British family. This family has a mother who flits about with younger men, a brother and sister team who have terrible manners and a father who is always busy with work and couldn?t care less about what his wife and kids are up to.

“I think the zaniness and outlandishness of the play will attract people. It has very believable characters doing ridiculous things,” said Jamie Price, who plays the part of the son, Simon Bliss.

These wacky family members continually vent their grief to one another about how the practical people do not appreciate their refined way of life. Guests who enter the household find themselves attracted to other guests, and even other members of the Bliss family. This clever comedy makes fun of the traditional British family and inverts the way it would act in traditional society. Even the Bliss family members themselves know they are different from other families.

“We are a slap-dash family who is awfully bad mannered. We lack social tricks and small talk,” character Sorel Bliss says to her brother, before the guests come. It gives the audience an entertaining look into the life of a dysfunctional, unusual British family.

The cast and crew of this production have come to Sac State from a variety of backgrounds. Guest director Dr. Michael Greenwald is a professor of theater, English and speech at Texas A & M University.

Jennifer Kirkham, who plays the role of the dramatic mother Judith Bliss, comes to Sac State from Brigham Young University to make her stage debut. The father, David Bliss, is played by William Powers, a Sac State theater arts student pursuing his aspiration of being an actor.

The Bliss? daughter, Sorel, is depicted by Wyatt Oakey, a freshman theater arts major from Salem, Va. Sadie Tutchener, who plays Myra, a Bliss family guest, is the only real British citizen in the cast. Other cast members include Ronnie Little, who plays Richard, and Justin Pickersgill, who plays Sandi. Margaret Morneau plays the maid Clara, and Amy Robison plays Jackie, another family guest.

The Sac State theater of arts department offers six major productions and some 20 minor productions throughout the year, which keeps them busy. Much hard work and rehearsing goes into making the play come alive. This exceptional cast and crew have put a great deal of time and effort into perfecting the play.

“It is a great play that is well directed and cleverly written. Coward is known for his plays which are prolific and genius,” Powers said.

“Hay Fever” opens Thursday and continues through Oct. 21 in the Playwright?s Theatre. Shows start at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $7 for students, alumni and seniors. For ticket information, call 278-4323.