By SARA LAWSON
Assistant News Editor

(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — “The Little Foxes” is a classic drama that takes place in the American South in the spring of 1900. The cotton business and the family dynamics of the Hubbard family are the driving forces of the play.

“In the plot of the play, you see the relationships between siblings and how those deteriorate as they work to deceive one another and allow greed to come before family,” said Jill Szoo Wilson, guest director for UCM’s production.

Szoo said the three-act play is a classic drama written in, and for, a time before television and Netflix.

“Though it is a classic play, the theme of how greed can get in between relationships is actually very contemporary,” she said.

One thing Szoo said she finds interesting about the play is the relationship between the characters on stage.

“The relationships are complex,” Szoo said. “Every human being has three inner needs for love, significance and security. What I find fascinating about the script is the ways in which each one of the characters is trying to fulfill one of those needs, either using another person, using money, using sex or travel and… watching that pursuit end in success or utter destruction.”

As the guest director of the play, Szoo said she thinks students will gain a varied experience working with her because she isn’t a theater faculty member. Szoo earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting and directing in theatre in 2006. She has also done private acting coaching since 2005 and has acted and directed professionally.

“It’s kind of nice for the students in the show to get exposed to a different director, other than what they are used to, because we all have different method and different ways of running rehearsals,” Szoo said. “They get a varied experience.”

The show will run at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17-20. Tickets can be purchased at the box office in Wood 128. Tickets will cost $7 for students, $10 for UCM faculty and staff, senior citizens and military, and $12 for the general public. Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office at 660-543-8811.