A posh dinner party with lovably goofy, bourgeois guests quickly spirals into a scandalous evening of confusion, mistaken identities and lies in California Lutheran University’s Theatre and Dance Department student production of “Rumors.”  The Neil Simon comedy is presented in conjunction with Concord Theatricals and runs April 23–27, with evening performances Wednesday through Saturday and a Sunday matinee. 

“Neil Simon’s humor is so unique, often driven by his rich, dynamic characters,” said theatre student Lia Tracey, who plays Claire Ganz. “I think each actor has been perfectly cast to bring these roles to life.”

Set in New York during the late 1980s, “Rumors” follows Ken and Chris Gorman, who are attending a party at the upscale suburban home of the deputy mayor of New York. The couple discovers the party’s host with a flesh wound in his earlobe after accidentally shooting himself. With the host’s wife nowhere to be found, the pair scramble to devise a story to save their friend from scandal before the other guests arrive.

Simon, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, explores the idea that if you are a good enough liar, you can get away with anything, as well as the damage rumors can inflict.

“Rumors” will be at 8 p.m. on April 23–26, and 2 p.m. on April 27.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at bit.ly/rumorsproduction or at the door. The show is free for Cal Lutheran students, faculty and staff with an ID. Performances are in the Preus-Brandt Forum, located at 135 Chapel Lane, Thousand Oaks, on the Cal Lutheran campus.