The political season may have come to a close, but at Evanston it’s just starting with Born Yesterday.

“The goal with Born Yesterday is to make people laugh, but also to provoke a lot of thought,” says director Zachary Herrmann. “People should expect to leave feeling thoroughly entertained, while thinking about broader issues.”

“For the actors, the show itself presents a wonderful challenge,” adds junior Kamal Sehrawy, “We have to give the audience a show that they can laugh at and have fun with, but also simultaneously play our characters’ intentions truthfully to show a deeper message.”

Born Yesterday focuses on the story of a manipulative man who cheats his way through politics, while bringing along his mistress. In order to improve his own appearance, he hires an etiquette tutor for her benefit. Over the course of the play, the true nature of his character is revealed, along with that of the corrupt world of politics.

“I think students would be surprised by the level of quality and performance in their fellow students,” says Herrmann. “I’ve learned a lot from these really talented students.”

Set in the 1940’s, Born Yesterday will keep with the times by wearing clothes that would have been worn in the era. They will also be using live music that is reminiscent of the era in order to help set the tone of the play.

The cast is focused on improving, learning, and creating a great show. “I’m very excited to have such a wonderful opportunity to work many actors that I have worked with before and had great experiences with,” comments sophomore Marty Leoni.

Born Yesterday will open on Valentine’s day, Feb. 14, at 7:30 in the Upstairs Theatre, and will run until Feb. 16.