The play’s the thing at Wing Ding this year.
And the members of the South Simcoe Theatre (SST) are trying something a little different.
Running from Thursday, June 5 to Sunday, June 8, the talents of local, national, and even international playwrights will be combined with an enthusiastic cast on the SST stage for “Four Play: A Showcase of Play Readings.”
“We are offering a broad selection of play material that might not otherwise be offered due to subject matter, limited audience appeal, or plays that are unpolished gems waiting to be discovered,” says producer Louise Macdonald. “It promises to be a truly eclectic and memorable series.”
“It’s something new for us,” adds Christina Luck, a set designer and a member of the committee that selected the plays. “It gives an airing for a new play, Fire Red Blood, and the chance for the playwright to get some feedback.”
A team of creative directors, from a variety of backgrounds, will weave the quartet of wonderful stories through the use of the spoken word. Following a series of light rehearsals, the actors performing each play will sit on chairs, reading directly from the script.
The four-day showcase begins with the presentation of “Les Belles Soeurs” by Michel Tremblay, directed by Brandon Crone. Set against the background of Quebec’s “Quiet Revolution” of the 1950s and 1960s, a family comes to terms with consumer culture in a hilarious way.
“Conversations with Teddy” by J. Stuart Pearce, follows on Friday evening. Directed by Janet Lord Genyk, the play is a gentle and insightful where a mature couple reflects on life and love on the day of a friend’s funeral.
Saturday night’s offering is “Fire Red Blood” by Theresa Brown, directed by Alcona resident and Innisfil Journal freelancer Christy Burton. This will be the first public reading of Ontario playwright Brown. The realistic drama follows a year in the life of a small town Ontario volunteer fire brigade, as seen through the eyes of a rookie.
The series wraps up with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee with a double bill – “Classic Comedies, The Marriage Proposal” by Anton Chekov, directed by Sandi Simpson, and “Fumed Oak” by Noel Coward, also directed by Simpson.
Curtain call for the evening performances is 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
South Simcoe Theatre is located at 1 Hamilton St. in Cookstown. Admission is $5 per person and there is general seating available. For tickets, call the box office at 458-4432.
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