The curtain goes up on the Broadway play “”Cactus Flower”” at 7:30 p.m.,

Thursday and Friday, November 9 and 10, at Western University: A Graduate

University of Health Sciences, 309 E. Second Street.

The play is produced by SANUS, Western University’s theater club, the only

theater group of any health professions university in Southern California.

SANUS takes its name from the Latin word meaning “”soundness of mind,

emotions and behavior.”” The group organizes a stage performance each fall

and past productions have included Agatha Christie’s murder mystery “”Ten

Little Indians,”” Shakespeare’s “”A Midsummer Night’s Dream,”” and the

musical “”Pump Boys and Dinettes.””

“”Cactus Flower”” is a comedy about the relationship of a bachelor dentist

with his nutty mistress and his rather stoic receptionist, who emerges

from her shell when called upon to masquerade as his wife.

Pomona’s Meiyun Yang, a second-year medical student in the University’s

College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP), directs the play

this year. She appeared in last year’s production of “”Ten Little Indians,””

and danced with the Irvine Dance Academy and Ballet Pacific prior to

entering medical school. She chose “”Cactus Flower,”” she said because it’s

a comedy that “”fun and moves quickly, with short and quick scenes.””

Ten COMP students are in the play. They have rehearsed for about 3 hours a

night three times a week since late August.

“”It’s a great outlet for stress,”” Yang said of the time she takes in

rehearsals.

Cast members and their roles:

Daryl McClendon, second-year medical student, as Dr. Julian Winston.

Elizabeth Flood, second-year medical student, as Stephanie Dickinson.

Mary Farid, second-year medical student, as Toni Simmons.

Veko Vahamaki, second-year medical student, as Igor Sullivan.

Dan Le, first-year medical student, as Harvey Greenfield.

Ravi Shah, first-year medical student, as Prakash Patel.

Mimi Dao, second-year medical student, as Mrs. Dixon Durant.

Joachim (Joe) Brown , second-year medical student, as Botticelli’s

Springtime.

Kumar Gogineni, second-year medical student, as the Music Lover.

Prakash Desai, second-year medical student, as the Customer/Waiter.

Tickets are $5 for Western University students in advance; $7 for all

others and at the door. About 175 tickets are available and sales begin on

campus October 25. The show is usually a sell-out, so it’s best to buy

tickets early.

For ticket information, call (909) 469-5389.