If “normal” has a definition, “You Can’t Take It With You” tries to find it.

The Performing Arts Department’s upcoming show, written by Moss Hart and George Kaufman, explores the comical yet heartwarming situations that occur when two distinct families come together in an unlikely union over young love.

Within the Sycamore family house lives Grandpa Vanderhof—played by senior Will Jacobs—who collects snakes and stubbornly refuses to pay his income taxes; his daughter Penny Sycamore, a writer, played by sophomore Schuyler Atkins; her husband Paul Sycamore, who builds fireworks in their basement; and their children Essie and Alice. Essie makes candy, which her husband Ed distributes, yet she really wishes she were a ballerina. Among the other characters’ shenanigans, Alice, played by senior Catherine Athenson, appears to be the only “normal” one in the family. But when she falls in love with the son of her company’s executive, Tony Kirby, played by junior Mitchell Manar, she is forced to display her own household’s craziness to his prim and proper family. The ensuing influence of each family on the other, in the context of dinner at the Sycamore house, creates the hilarity and drama of the show.

Atkins explained, “I think the overarching message of the play is that life is meant to be enjoyed and there is no one way to live your life. The family that I’m the mother may be really weird, but the point is that that is OK because we all enjoy what we are doing. Even though the play was written in the 1930s, I still believe that message resonates now.”

“You Can’t Take It With You” clearly reflects the value of pursuing your individual passions at all costs, an idea close to the hearts of many driven and dedicated Wash. U. students.

“My character’s journey is a lot about discovering that my father’s decisions do not have to be my decisions and there is more to life than just work,” Manar elaborated.

When the Kirbys go to the Sycamores’ house for dinner, they witness a family entirely unlike their own, and the resulting dialogue becomes a commentary on judgment and the benefits of social tolerance. Alice Sycamore suffers an internal conflict as she struggles to bring together the work and family aspects of her life.

Athenson said that despite her own character’s difficulties, “the experience of being in the play is extremely funny and almost crazy or farcical.”

Atkins explained, “While I’m not very similar to my character because she is just so bubbly and happy all the time, [being in the show] has been a very positive experience because after playing that role so often, you start to feel that [happy], too.”

Students can expect the play to be highly reminiscent of the original as director Jeffery Matthews has insisted that the actors not alter the script. The only changes involve the removal of a couple of period-specific jokes.

“You Can’t Take It With You” may serve as a positive escape from the monotony of schoolwork for students.

Manar explained, “I feel that the Sycamores’ house is just such a warm, loving family environment, which is not something we really get here very often.”

Athenson said, “Even though the play is from the 1930s, I really think it’s interesting that time doesn’t detract from connecting to the human condition and how we all want to find that thing that we love to do. It’s as simple as just do it.”

“You Can’t Take it With You” will be performed at the Edison Theatre on Feb. 21 at 8 p.m., Feb. 22 at 8 p.m., Feb. 23 at 2 p.m., Feb. 28 at 8 p.m., March 1 at 8 p.m. and March 2 at 2 p.m. The runtime is two hours, and there will be two 10-minute intermissions. The price for students is $10.