MONMOUTH, Ill. — A diverse evening of theater at Monmouth College, featuring two one-act plays – a stark tragedy and a brilliant comedy, both by playwright Peter Shaffer – is on the bill as MC’s Crimson Masque continues its 78th season. Performances are Feb.19-21 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. in the college’s Wells Theater.

Tickets are $4 for Monmouth College students and staff, $5 for other students and senior citizens and $6 for adults. Tickets may be reserved by contacting Bill Wallace, professor of communication and theater arts, at 309-457-2374 or billw@monm.edu.

The first one-act is entitled “The White Liars.” Sophie Lemberg, played by senior Lauren Warner of Naperville, is a fortune teller and a baroness of the Holy Roman Empire – or is she? Her two customers (Frank, played by freshman Jayme Villa-Alvarez and Tom, played by sophomore Mike Wilmoth of Clinton) seem to want their fortunes told, yet the truth of their lives may be stranger than any fiction.

Senior Carrie Casper of Tinley Park is the assistant director for the “The White Liars.”

The second one-act, “Black Comedy,” is a whirlwind farce where everything that can go wrong, does. Brindsley, a young artist (played by freshman Rafael Mojden of Clarendon Hills), is trying to impress an eccentric art collector (played by junior Josh Sonnenberg of Portland, Ore.). Assisted by his fiancée, Carol (played by freshman Hilary Binks of Glen Ellyn), he “borrows” some furniture from neighbor Harold Gorringe (played by freshman Charley Pippenger of Hawthorn Woods) to make a good impression on the art collector and on Carol’s father, Colonel Melkett (played by senior Andrew Almburg of Malta).

The electricity goes out, Harold returns early, Brindsley’s old girlfriend Clea (played by sophomore Lindsey Markel of Sidell) shows up, neighbor Miss Furnival (played by freshman Sara Youngs of Wauconda) goes on a decidedly wicked adventure, and everything is solved (or perhaps irretrievably shattered) by the arrival of the electrician (played by sophomore Adam Riegle of Peotone).

Senior Kathryn Thompson of Propehetstown and Sonnenberg are the assistant directors for “Black Comedy.”

“The audience is in for a real treat,” said Wallace, who is directing the plays. “These are two very different shows, and I think everyone will enjoy the intense drama of ‘The White Liars’ coupled with the wild laughter generated by ‘Black Comedy.’”

Doug Rankin, professor of communication and theater arts and the MC theater designer and technical director, is designing two different sets that will need to be changed within 15 minutes. Senior Amanda Caldwell is designing the costumes for the two shows.