​Sultans, spies, communism and romance all mingle to hilarious effect in the upcoming production of Woody Allen’s classic Don’t Drink the Water, presented by the York College Theatre Department, October 22-25.

In 1974, Don’t Drink the Water was the first play to be performed in Gurganus Hall on the York College campus. The former church building went on to serve as the home for the theatre department for the next 40 years. The current run of Don’t Drink the Water will be the final show in this space, as the Bartholomew Performing Arts Center will open this spring.

A cascade of comedy and a solid hit on Broadway, Don’t Drink the Water takes place inside an American embassy behind the Iron Curtain. An American tourist, a caterer by trade, and his wife and daughter rush into the embassy two steps ahead of the police who suspect them of spying. The embassy is not much of a refuge, for the ambassador is absent and his son, now in charge, has been expelled from a dozen countries and the continent of Africa. 

Nevertheless, the Americans carefully and frantically plot their escape, and the ambassador's son and the caterer's daughter even have time to fall in love.

The show is a riotous ride through affairs of state and affairs of the heart, sure to delight audiences of all ages.
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Tickets are $5 for students and seniors and $7 for general admission. Tickets may be reserved at www.york.edu/boxoffice or by calling (402) 363-5641. Performances will be Thursday, October 22 through Saturday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m. These performances are likely to sell out, so advance ticket reservation is recommended.