Catholic High School is presenting Neil Simon’s “Fools” at 7 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday in the CHS cafeteria.

Fine Arts teacher Jack Sorenson is directing the comedy, which is being performed in special arrangement with Samuel French Inc. Nine cast members and two crew members have worked on the project for two months.

Senior Phillip Smith stars as main character Leon Tochinsky, a man Sorenson describes as “ecstatic.”

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“He’s landed a terrific teaching job in an idyllic Russian hamlet,” Sorenson said. “When he arrives he finds people sweeping dust from the stoops back into their houses and people milking upside down to get more cream. The town has been cursed with Chronic Stupidity for 200 years and Leon’s job is to break the curse. No one tells him that if he stays over 24 hours and fails to break the curse, he too becomes stupid.”

Of course, Smith said, Tochinsky finds the job is not so simple.

“He has a motive to break the curse because he falls in love with the doctor’s daughter,” Smith said of his character.

Junior Stephen Vilcan plays Dr. Nikoli Zubritsky. Vilcan describes his character as the second richest person in the village, and until Leon’s arrival, the second smartest.

“He’s the doctor but definitely not the brightest penny in the world,” Vilcan said.

Sophomore Megan Martin, who plays Sophia, said her character is “really sheltered.”

“She doesn’t get out so she doesn’t know very much,” Martin said. “When she meets Leon it’s a new world for her.”

Rounding out the cast are Mary Joubert as Magistrate, Meredith Will as Yenchna, Breanna Porche as Mishkin, Lanie Marcantel as Slovitch, Elizabeth Tornblom as Snetsky, Alyssa Porche as Lenya Zubritsky and Travis Guillory as Count Gregor Yousekevitch. Ashley Fiest and Macy Ambrose served as the production’s crew.

Sorenson praises the hard work and dedication of the cast and crew.

“Theater arts is alive and well at Catholic High as the cast of Fools has been working hard on this production since September,” Sorenson said. “Neil Simon is a master of comedy, and the cast has really enjoyed working on this very funny script. In fact, every few lines there is humor. Seeing the students work on their roles and grow in the part they are playing has been a great experience.”

CHS Principal Timothy Uhl is hopeful the play will be a success.

“I hear it’s funny and well-suited for our theater space,” Uhl said.

Tickets for the play are $7 each. For more information call CHS at 364-5116.