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The Good Doctor at the Chester Playhouse
After its successful tour of the South Shore (the show raised $6500 for local charities!), the Chester Drama Society?s production of Neil Simon?s comedy, The Good Doctor, is coming home to the Chester Playhouse.
Based on short stories by Anton Chekhov and set in 19th century Russia, the play is a delightful entertainment. The show is comic, poignant, thought provoking and includes all of Simon's humour and Chekhov's sense of humanity. The performances of nine short vignettes will have you laughing-out-loud. The cast of eight is directed by Andre Haines and includes Chesterites Barry Redmond, Gavin Flinn, George Evans and Cynthia Myers, making it a show you will love from start to finish.
There is a doctor in the house?The Good Doctor?at the Chester Playhouse July 7, 8, 9 at 8 PM and a matinee performance on July 9 at 2 PM. For tickets call 902 275-3933.
LIGHTING "THE GOOD DOCTOR"
Every show has its technical challenges I suppose, but when the production moves to a different venue with each performance, and the venues themselves are designed to hold meetings, dances or Sunday schools, the challenges rise exponentially.
For one thing, you have to bring in lighting equipment, and because you're moving in--and out--each night, it has to be portable . . . and easy to carry. Your "stage" changes with the dimensions of the hall: sometimes you're on the floor, sometimes in front of bulletin boards fastened to the wall, and always, you're having to cope with natural light streaming in through far too many windows. The set too must be portable, and minimal. And the actors' costumes are another variable; in "The Good Doctor" the actors wear a lot of black and they change costumes with each new scene.
What to do? Director Andre Haines and Producer Laurel Darnell approached George Gore whose lighting skills have been best described by Kerry Keddy of chesterns.ca: "George could light a show with a match."
In fact, George hasn't used a great deal more than a match. And he doesn't need to. When he described the lighting requirements for "Three Penny Opera," Bertold Brecht said, "It should be staged as a poor company doing its best." Andre Haines wants a similar effect. Since "The Good Doctor" is Neil Simon's tribute to Anton Chekhov, Haines asked George for a lighting design that would approximate early 20th century lighting--footlights and toplights--and make it obvious to the audience that they are in a theatre.
So George went about building footlights, and, thanks to the generosity of The Mahone Bay Seniors Project, acquired rudimentary par cans on stands run by a small 12-channel board. The result is often stunning.
"The Good Doctor," with sponsorship from the Chester Drama Society, will be travelling to a theatre/venue near you: Opening night is April 28 at the Atlantica Hotel Oak Island; April 29, Blockhouse Waldorf School; April 30, Trinity United Church, Mahone Bay; May 6, Chester United Baptist Church; May 13, Lunenburg Academy, and May 20-21, Martin's River Fire Hall.
Spring is in the step of CDS
There was lots of energy in the room at the Chester Drama Society's AGM on March 15 at the Chester United Baptist Church Hall. Leading the way was the election of a new slate of officers: President Tom Myers and Treasurer Judy Parsons remained from last year's executive; they were joined by newcomers Laurel Darnell as Vice-President and Dave Major as Secretary.
Laurel Darnell is well known for her talent as an actor, having performed on the Playhouse stage in "The Garage Sale," "Life Skills" and "A Brief History of Chester (may contain nuts)." She's even better known in her home of Mahone Bay where she's starred in musical comedies "The Rumrunner's Ball" and "The Last World Tour" written by husband Reid Campbell. What's less well known about Laurel is her passion to bring together quality theatre pieces and community actors, such as she's doing right now as producer of "The Good Doctor." With backing from CDS, Laurel's engaged Andre Haines to direct Neil Simon's homage to Anton Chekhov which will be performed at seven venues in Lunenburg County: community theatre travelling to communities. "The Good Doctor" will make his first house call to Chester on Friday, May 6 at the Chester United Baptist Church Hall. Stay tuned.
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