November 2, 2026 - Hendrix Players will present four performances of "The Imaginary Invalid" by Molière. Performances are November 11-14 in Cabe Theatre. Wednesday through Friday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Reservations are strongly encouraged. There is no cost for admission; to reserve tickets visit https://bit.ly/imaginaryinvalidtickets.
First produced in Paris in 1673, "The Imaginary Invalid" stands as the final masterwork of Molière, widely celebrated as the greatest writer of French comedy of all time. The enduring comedy centers on Argan, an older gentleman and self-absorbed hypochondriac whose physicians profit from his obsession. A brilliant satire of the medical profession, "The Imaginary Invalid" was last performed on the stage of the Cabe Theatre in the 1977-78 season.
The show features a student acting ensemble of ten with a larger number of off-stage student personnel in a variety of roles including stage managers, crew members, and artisans. Seniors involved in the production include stage manager Jorie Lien and actors Cora Mattson and Audrey Young.
"The Imaginary Invalid" is directed by Deborah A. Kinghorn, this year’s Murphy Visiting Theatre Director. Professor Emerita at the University of New Hampshire, Kinghorn is an actor/director/voice coach/dialect coach. She is a Master Teacher of Lessac Kinesensic Bodyvoice Training and has facilitated workshops in Kinesensics in Croatia, South Africa, Brazil, England, Puerto Rico and Finland. Ms. Kinghorn is also co-author of the book “Essential Lessac: Honoring the Familiar Body, Spirit, Mind”.
Kinghorn strongly believes the play remains highly relevant today, noting, "This classic play speaks directly to our current spate of wellness fads and the price manipulation of medicines by greedy pharmaceutical companies. One must ask: who truly benefits? Molière asks us to face our own hypocrisy, while making us laugh too."
"The Imaginary Invalid" is co-sponsored by the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language. This production is suitable for ages 8 and up. The run time is approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes including one intermission. For additional information, call 501-450-1343.
About Hendrix College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 45 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges and celebrated among the country’s leading liberal arts colleges for academic quality, engaged learning opportunities and career preparation, vibrant campus life, and value. The College’s signature career-readiness initiative, Via Hendrix, connects a transformative liberal arts education with a four-year plan for life after college. Via Hendrix, every student completes a full-time, semester-long professional co-op experience before graduation.
The Hendrix experience extends beyond the classroom, with students participating in 21 NCAA Division III sports and a campus community shaped in part by the College’s longstanding affiliation with the United Methodist Church, dating to 1884. As Hendrix celebrates its Sesquicentennial in 2026–2027, the College is marking 150 years of educating students while looking ahead to its next chapter. Learn more at via.hendrix.edu.
“… Through engagement that links the classroom with the world, and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and sustainable living, the Hendrix community inspires students to lead lives of accomplishment, integrity, service, and joy.” –Hendrix College Statement of Purpose