FEB 4-7, 11-14, 2010

See a sneek peek at a rehearsal scene from the play click here!

Opening February 4th at Market House Theatre is Neil Simon's ever-popular comedy, God's Favorite. Called "awesomely funny” by The New York Daily News, it is the story of devout Long Island business tycoon Joe Benjamin, a modern-day Job with a high-maintenance wife, ungrateful children and wise-cracking household help. He is visited by a Messenger from God in the form of Sidney Lipton, a compulsive film buff from Queens who is on a mission: test Joe's faith and report back to "the Boss." When our modern Job will not renounce God, everything becomes a test of faith…including his family! Neil Simon spins this contemporary morality play with his signature good humor and wit. "His jokes have a kind of hilarious deadpan ecstasy and, even better, are taken from life."-The New York Times

Diane Byrd directs the cast of MHT veterans, with Valerie Pollard as assistant director. Reprising the roles of Joe Benjamin and Sydney Lipton from MHT's 1996 production are Tom Dolan and Al Knudsen. Last seen in Southern Comforts and Tuesdays with Morrie, Dolan works for the March of Dimes as Division Director for all of Western Kentucky. Knudsen, Program Director of the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program in Paducah, was last seen in Tom, Dick and Harry and Beauty and the Beast.

Playing the jewel- and fur-bedecked Rose Benjamin is Lisa Humphrey, owner of The Itty Bitty Knitty Shop. Humphrey directed MHT productions of On Golden Pond and Murder at the Howard Johnson's. Landon Baker and Allyson Tracy play twins Ben and Sarah Benjamin, who have an IQ of 160 (between them). Baker, a graphic designer at the Faith Center of Paducah, was in MHT's recent production of Tom, Dick and Harry and has been seen in The Outsiders. WKCTC student Tracy was seen most recently in Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, Jr. ComputerLand's Joey Judd also returns in God’s Favorite, this time as the drunken prodigal son David Benjamin. Once a member of the Story Theatre troupe, Judd was in The Wizard of Oz and The Boys Next Door.

Maid and butler Mady and Morris are played by Dvonne Miller and Steve Schwetman. Miller, who is doing the show in honor of her late son, Jon, has been seen in Anything Goes and Doubt. WKYQ radio personality Schwetman was most recently in Anything Goes and The Foreigner.

The play runs February 4 - 7 and 11 - 14, 2010 with show times at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday evenings and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. There will be an additional 2:30 matinee on Sat., Feb. 13th. Tickets are $19 for adults and $16 for seniors. For God's Favorite, groups reserving 10 or more tickets for a single performance will receive a group rate of $16 per ticket, with $2 of each ticket being donated to Paducah Cooperative Ministry.

Joe (played by Tom Dolan, left) is confronted by Sidney (Al Knudsen, right) who claims to be a messenger from God.