If Southern students are interested in property, dogs, oats or money, then “A Night with Chekhov” will provide plenty of entertainment.

Southern’s theatre department will be performing The Celebration, The Marriage Proposal and The Brute (all written by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov). The performances will start at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Oct. 16 at Bud Walton Theatre.

The night of one-act plays begins with a bank manager’s struggle to keep the bank running smoothly during its 15th anniversary.

“This goal is interrupted by a lady who comes to make a financial claim on behalf of her husband but is completely in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Dr. Jim Lile, assistant professor of theatre.

Lile directs The Celebration. Next, his wife, who wants to share all the town gossip, disturbs his plans.

“Anyone who’s had a problem or dealt with the difficult can relate to this,” Lile said.

Students will have to attend to see the outcome of the banker’s situation.

“We don’t want to give it away,” Lile said.

After an intermission, students will be able to watch The Marriage Proposal and The Brute simultaneously.

The director, Dr. Jay Fields, head of theatre department, decided to perform both plays on the same stage at the same time. Fields decided on this strategy since the plays were similar in structure.

“It will be like watching ‘Three’s Company’ and ‘Happy Days’ on a split screen while going back and forth with the volume,” he said.

He also said the story line of each play isn’t hard to understand but watching both at the same time will challenge the audience to follow what’s going on.

“The audience will have to be on their toes and watch both shows carefully,” Fields said. “In educational theatre, it’s our obligation to try experimental things. If we’re successful: great. If not, we tried.”

In The Marriage Proposal, a man and woman who are neighbors get into an argument over who has the best land and then over who has the best dog.

While cues alternate between sets, on the set of The Brute a widow tries to settle a large horse feed bill her husband obtained.

Much happens during the one act and the main character refuses to pay her bill, the man she is indebted to falls in love with her and then the two have a duel.

All of the action and switching of sets creates a complex and fast-paced production for both the audience and the performers.

“This is by far the most difficult play I’ve ever done,” said David Pearson, junior theatre major, who performs in The Marriage Proposal. “Because of the characters, cues and energy, we say that ‘by the end of the rehearsal if you’re not sweating, you’re not doing your job.'”

Both Lile and Fields hope that audiences will come to be entertained and enjoy the performances.

“From a teacher’s perspective, if the audience has it in their heads that Chekhov isn’t any fun, by the end of the night they will understand that he’s a really funny guy,” Lile said.

Tickets are free to Southern students and faculty. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children and seniors.

To order or reserve tickets, call Southern’s theatre box office at 417-625-3190.

The office’s hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.