Kyle Gawinski portrays Leon Tolchinsky in Cardinal Newman School's Fools.Morgan Gerstner plays a member of the Zubritsky family. It has been three years since Patrick Boos took over as head of the Cardinal Newman drama department. This spring, he finally hit his stride when the Card Players presented their rendition

of Neil Simon's Fools

May 15- 17. Earlier productions, while good, have been plagued by inexperience, but that is the case no longer.

Fools is about a Russian village cursed by stupidity because the father of a rejected suitor was angered when his son committed suicide. He placed a curse on the people of the village and their descendants, banishing love and intelligence in one fell swoop. Hundreds of years later, young schoolteacher Leon Tolchinsky arrives in Kulyenchikov with a burning desire to bring enlightenment to the village, but, unbeknownst to him, the task was much bigger than he could imagine. Things became bizarre when he met Snetsky the sheep- loser (hysterically portrayed by Zach Jones). He soon discovers the whole village is dull- witted.

Jordan Hardy and Tyler Carolan were members of the Zubritsky family in Cardinal Newman's production of Fools. Leon was believably and deftly portrayed by Kyle Gawinski in his first performance as a Card Player. He had many lines to remember and had impeccable timing.

The Zubritsky family, portrayed by Jordan Hardy, Tyler Carolan, and Morgan Gerstner, were more fun than Abbot and Costello and twice as confusing. Despite constant comic interplay between Carolan and Hardy Gerstner, who played their daughter, Sophia managed to maintain her composure and never once broke character. This was no easy task because, as always, Carolan was over the top and purely zany, keeping the audience in stitches.

Anthony Ramicone, as Count Gregor, was a perfect moustache- twirling villain with just a right touch of Russian accent. Slovitch the butcher, Yechna the vendor, and Mishkin the postman were comically portrayed by California Torry, Crystal Mitchum, and Lanier Smith. They added depth and definition to the fictional town.

Kyle Gawinski who plays Leon in Cardinal Newman's production of Fools and Patrick Boos, head of the Cardinal Newman Drama Department. Through a series of adventures and misadventures, Leon not only succeeds in breaking the curse but also wins the heart and the hand of the fair Sophia. After the play, Boos praised his troupe by saying "This was a semester of extremes. The dress rehearsal was the worst I have ever seen but the show was the best." Congratulations.

Lanier Smith as Mishkin, the postman, and California Torry as Slovitch, the butcher, are part of the cast of Fools at Cardinal Newman School.