Theres more going on in Morgantown than football, even on an evening when WVU is playing Pitt in a sold-out game at Mountaineer Field.

That belief convinced Theatre Professor Jerry McGonigle not to cancel the Nov. 15 evening performance of the playThe Time of Your Lifethat he is directing at the WVU Creative Arts Center. According to McGonigle,the show will go on.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning American classic play by William Saroyan takes place in 1939 at a San Francisco waterfront honky-tonk where an intoxicating cast of characters, including wistful dreamers, pining lonely hearts and beer hall philosophers, explore the possibilities of living a life which does not hurt anyone, a life concerned with ordinary people and simple values.

Written at a time when America faced impending world war, the play personifies optimism, sentimentality, the power of hope, love of country, compassion for those weaker than ourselves, and the value of a life lived fully, even if that life never approaches societys standards for success.

McGonigle said he struggled with the dilemma of whether or not to cancel the 7:30 p.m. performance of the play after the University announced it was changing the start of theBackyard Brawlto 7 p.m. so that it could be televised on ESPN .After a long weekend of technical and dress rehearsals, I awoke last Monday facing this decision,he said.If we didnt cancel, maybe no one would come. After all, Morgantown even moved Halloween to accommodate football.

But as I sat down for my morning coffee, I was inspired by an eloquent letter published in The Dominion Post by Dr. Peter Ehrlich that said the town does not have to come to a complete halt due to a sporting event,McGonigle said.Morgantown is more than that-much more.

So, we decided to let the curtain rise. The show will go on. We are encouraging anyone who wants to support art and culture to make a statement by choosing to attend our performance ofThe Time of Your Lifethis Saturday night.

There is free parking at the Creative Arts Center and the traffic should be light right before curtain time at 7:30 p.m. because the game will have started by then.

Also, the play will be over long before the rush of the return football traffic,McGonigle said.We invite people to even go so far as tailgating in the CAC parking lot!

The Time of Your Lifeopens in the Gladys G. Davis Theatre Friday, Nov. 14, and runs Nov. 15, 16, 19, 20, 21 and 22. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. nightly and there will be two matinee performances at 2 p.m. on Nov. 16 and 22.

Tickets forThe Time of Your Lifeare $11 for the general public and $9 for WVU faculty and staff, senior citizens, students and children.

For tickets or more information, call the Mountainlair Box Office at 304-293-SHOW. Special ticket prices are available for groups of 10 or more.