The Theatre Arts Department is presenting an adaptation of the famous dark comedy “The Suicide” tomorrow. The play exposes the self-destructive thoughts of a Russian man.

Katie Laris, who teaches beginning and advanced acting classes at City College, is directing the 17-student cast since its auditions in the first week of this semester.

City College was originally set to put on a Greek play, but when this semester commenced, Laris was informed that UCSB planned to perform that same play. Laris was forced to consider other options.

“A friend on campus, Margaret Prothero, recommended the play,” Laris said. “It has some very challenging acting roles, a lot of parts, but I love the big group scenes with a lot of interaction and a party feel.”

The cast was only given about six-and-a-half weeks to practice, and the rehearsals have been held in a portable building transformed to a theatre. This has given the cast and director underlying stress.

“This is without a doubt one of the most challenging plays I’ve worked on at City College,” said Laris. “You just hope you cast the right people and that they’ll be able to do all the work. If you cast well, everyone will think you’re a terrific director.”

Laris previously knew most of “The Suicide” cast from her classes. The play boasts a largely international cast, including people from France, Bali and Canada that range in age from 15 to 47.

Originally written by Nickolai Erdman, “The Suicide” had five acts and 30 characters but Laris massively edited the script, into two acts. This allowed it to fit the needs of the cast.

Laris compacted several characters by turning multiple personalities into one.

Set in 1928 Russia, the play tells the story of a discouraged, long-time unemployed man, Semyon Semyonovich. After the character scrounges for a job for a year to no avail, he comes to the conclusion that suicide is his only option.

Once friends and neighbors-priests, socialites, prostitutes and aristocrats-hear of his plan, they respectively show up at his door. Each hope to take advantage of the situation in some way. Little do they know, with each person that shows up at his door, Semyon grows less and less sure about this chosen life path.

Erdman’s brother, a stage designer, introduced him to the theatre. In 1922, Russia forged into a great time of transition, changing its name to the Soviet Union and becoming an atheist state.

This largely explains Erdman’s bizarre sense of satirical humor and the underlying theme to “The Suicide,” which is the constant struggle to survive in an unforgiving situation.

The play is not only an amusing satire but also a reflection on real life.

“I think it speaks to the financial woes our country is experiencing right now,” Laris said. “Semyon’s loss of self-esteem propels him into finding ultimately that money and jobs aren’t what life is about-what is really important,” said Laris.

“The Suicide” promises to be a funny yet dramatic piece that most can relate to with this economic downturn.

“This is an extraordinarily difficult play, but also a real opportunity,” Laris said. “The characters have to come across so realistically onstage, and these are characters that are so outside my students’ experience. To create characters that are real and rich but comical is a great challenge.”

“The Suicide” debuts March 11 at the Interim Theatre at 8 p.m. The Theatre Arts Department will be performing the play until March 20.