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Alexander McCracken and Joan Shepard Click to enlarge

Lebanon 15-year-old Alexander McCracken has landed a featured role in the Human Race Theatre Company's production of "Over the Tavern," opening this weekend at the Loft Theatre in Dayton.

McCracken plays 12-year-old Rudy Pazinski, one of four children in a Polish Catholic family living in Buffalo in 1959. The Pazinskis are the fictionalized version of the family of playwright Tom Dudzick, whose tales of their fun and travails led to Dudzick being dubbed "the Catholic Neil Simon."

The irascible Rudy is Dudzick's alter (and altar) ego.

McCracken is no newcomer to the stage. He appeared in Cincinnati-area productions of "Lost in Yonkers," "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," "Inherit the Wind," "Honk" and "Cinderella" — and has played Rudy once before.

Rudy's arch-nemesis is the terrifying Sister Clarissa, played by Joan Shepard, who's at ease working with child actors because she was one — a 7-year-old extra in Laurence Olivier's Broadway production of "Romeo and Juliet." "Over the Tavern" is her sixth time portraying a nun.

His mother Ellen is played by Margaret Knapp, who has a long list of both acting and directing credits, ranging from "Twelfth Night" to Eugene Ionesco's absurdist classic "Rhinoceros." Dad Chet is New Yorker Jeff Williams, whose career has included "Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang" on Broadway, "The Sopranos" on TV, and the movie musical of "The Producers."

how to go

WHAT: "Over the Tavern"

WHERE: Human Race Theatre Company, 126 N. Main, Dayton

WHEN: Through Sept. 21

COST: $29-$36

MORE INFO: (937)228-3630; www.humanracetheatre.org