Don’t miss it! “The Ladies Man” at the Community Theatre – opening tonight!

Last night I got the chance to swing by and check out the Community Theatre‘s new production of Charles Morey’s play The Ladies Man before it opens tonight for a two-week run.

Chris (left) and Merritt (who longtime islanders haven't recognized, lately) are ready for tonight's show.

This is one you are going to like. You’ll see audiences leaning forward to catch the wordplay in this amazing, somewhat farcical, somewhat classical production.

The play is one big misunderstanding, which leads the characters to find someone else to blame for their problems, even as they try to hide their own indiscretions. Things start off with an unremarkable little lie which snowballs into unintended consequences, slamming doors, sneaking around for love, and which whirls everyone’s world into frantic confusion.

Director Chris Jorie says weaving the broad action together with the language of the script is a challenge which the actors meet well. “There is a lot of information to get across in a short time, with a lot going on. This cast does a good job of storytelling, finding the intricacies and nuances in the script.”  It’s easy to see that the actors create an incredible synergy onstage and Chris says it comes from within. “It’s my style to invite collaboration with different people in the cast. This means I have to learn everyone’s language, and honor their process, and I feel it really worked here.”

Islanders get a special treat as the theater’s director Merritt Olson takes the stage as Doctor Molineaux, who gets himself in a jam right from the start trying to explain why he didn’t come home last night. His maid (Shannon Kelly) doesn’t understand, his gentleman’s gentleman (Mason Turnage) doesn’t understand, and his young & beautiful wife (Penelope Haskew) sure doesn’t understand. The doctor looks for help with his serial lisper, clumsy friend Bassinet (Bo Turnage), but that makes things so unbearable that his wife can do only one thing: bring on her mother. Deb Langhans plays an intense, commanding, and downright scary mother-in-law…you can see why the others refer to her as Medusa.

Things heat up as one of the doctor’s patients (Susan Williams) shows up in hot pursuit of him, followed by her husband Gustav (John Davis) who will take a duel anywhere he can find it, and speaks kinda backwards, like Yoda, but with a Prussian accent. You’ll hear what I mean.

The action spins out of control from there, with a pretty good workout on stage for everyone, leading to the doctor’s redemption at the end.

Newcomer to the stage Mason (Bo’s son) looks comfortable in his first show (“I was looking for someone like Dick Van Dyke,” says the director; he got him). He fits right in with the experienced and talented folks on stage. The cast features three directors (Susan, Merritt, and John), actors with extensive experience (Deb, Susan, Merritt, Bo and Shannon) as well as a director/writer/actor in Penelope, who wrote next month’s elementary school and middle school play, currently in rehearsal under her direction. Watch for surprise dance appearance by the talented & amazing Julie Hagn, too! It’s an amazing group.

Chris Jorie came to the island just to direct this play, but has also been working on a screenplay and novel while he is here. He also has conducted a playwriting unit with the eighth-graders at the middle school over the past five weeks. He’s looking forward to opening night: “When you put actors in front of the audience, a switch goes on. It is going to be great to see.”

It’s fast-paced and it’s fun, and this is one you won’t want to miss. Get your tickets now for this weekend, and be careful–you just might want to see this one twice.

Opening tonight!

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