Four couples at an upscale New York diner party hardly makes for an interesting evening. Add a bullet wound, missing hostess, suicide conspiracy, police and slew of other complications, though, and you have “Rumors: A Farce,” a play by Neil Simon.

The College of Engineering Does Amateur Radical Theater will bring this intricate play to the Ferguson Theater stage this weekend. Jaclyn Schillinger, a freshman majoring in physics and cast member in the show, said the play is a lighthearted comedy. Based on the theme of rumors and deception, the play takes a comedic, rather than educational, approach.

“It’s primarily a farce, so it’s not really about learning a lesson,” Schillinger said. “It’s a comedy.”

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Jackson Morris, a sophomore majoring in aerospace engineering and CDA president, said this play marks new territory for the 10 performers in “Rumors: A Farce.” This is CDA’s first time performing in the Ferguson Theater; all previous productions were held in a classroom in H.M. Comer Hall.

“This time we wanted to step it up and do something a little bigger. This is the biggest cast I think the group’s ever done in their history,” Morris said. “We have returners from our last show and three or four more people who were in the group to perform with us for the first time.”

Current CDA members were drawn to the organization for its atmosphere and the theatrical opportunities it provides for non-theater majors. Jessie Swift, a sophomore majoring in accounting and finance and CDA vice president, joined the group her freshman year.

“It was Get on Board Day my freshman year and I saw everyone having so much fun. I thought, ‘This is so cool,’” Swift said. “I did theater in high school and I didn’t think I could do anything theater related again, and now I get my opportunity.”

The same Get on Board Day that attracted Swift brought in 20 other interested students to auditions, including Morris and current CDA cast members.

“The group started about five or six years ago as a very small group of people who wanted to get together and do plays,” Morris said. “After Get on Board Day in 2012 and our show the following spring, more and more people got involved.”

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CDA is open to all majors, giving anyone an opportunity to perform. CDA treasurer Connor Smith said the founders were all engineering majors, so the group is housed under the College of Engineering and advised by Kevin Whitaker, associate dean for academic programs.

“The original mission of the group was to provide theatrical opportunities to engineers and STEM majors,” Smith said. “The school supports us by providing H.M. Comer 126, where we practice and performed all of our shows leading up to this one.”

The Ferguson Theater opens up “Rumors: A Farce” to a larger audience, and gives CDA actors a raised stage for performance. Schillinger said this excites, rather than intimidates, the cast.

“I personally have quite a good deal of theater experience from back in high school so I’m more used to performing on a raised stage” Schillinger said. “This will be more comfortable for me.”

In the future, CDA wants to continue expanding membership and attendance. Morris said he wants to perform more shows while serving as president to give more performers their time on stage.

“More shows can get lots more people involved and active in the group,” Smith said. “It’s a good experience for lots of people. Theater is a very good mental stimulant; we all want to be here.”

CDA will perform “Rumors: A Farce” April 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. in the Ferguson Theater. Tickets are $7.

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