Laughing Stock - 2007
The Racine Theatre Guild kicks off its 70th regular season with the hilarious comedy Laughing Stock by Charles Morey. It is a wonderful comedic look at a summer stock theatre company putting on a slate of three rotating plays. The show opens on Friday, September 7, and runs four weekends through September 30.
Laughing Stock follows the tradition of theatrical comedies about the funny things that happen when you produce theatre. The jokes about doing plays, from auditions to rehearsals to finished performances, are even more hysterical to those who enjoy watching theatre. Laughing Stock is also a love letter to the magic of live drama, since it shows the thrill of theatre touching an audience when everything goes right.
Gordon Page, the artistic director of a New Hampshire summer stock company, is preparing for the upcoming season. The theatre is in an old dairy barn, the audience sits on metal folding chairs, and the scene shop, rehearsal hall and performance space all share the same area. The box office and business office are in the wood shed, and the dressing rooms for the actors are old cow stalls.
The managing director, Craig, pleads with the cast to save all pencil stubs to stay on their very tight budget. The put-upon designer, Henry, has to create three sets and complicated special effects in a matter of weeks with no money. The director, Susannah, just out of graduate school, has pretentious ideas of creativity that stretch the actors’ limits. The stage manager, Sarah, tries desperately to keep things going and resorts to drink to cope.
The acting company includes a professional actor who is filling his time between better jobs, an egotistical leading man who wants to play Dracula, an older couple who have a bit of trouble remembering lines, an eager young actress who is trying to display more emotion in her work, and a trio of apprentices. Together this cast and crew will do three plays in rotation all summer: Dracul, Prince of the Undead; Charley’s Aunt; and Hamlet.
The laughter begins when we glimpse auditions, and it builds through the scenes of rehearsals. Some actors get confused about which lines and scenes are in which play. Some of the props malfunction. Backstage gossip creates intrigue. We watch Dracul in performance, with a number of mishaps, including an uncooperative flying bat prop, crew microphones that broadcast out to the audience, and costumes that get stuck on scenery.
Laughing Stock premiered in Salt Lake City, Utah, performed by the Pioneer Theatre Company, where the playwright Morey is artistic director.
Critics exclaimed: “Laughing Stock is a hilarious backstage farce and genuinely affectionate look into the world of the theatre… We follow the well-intentioned but over-matched company through opening nights gone distastrously awry to the elation of a great play well told.”
“The delightful thing is that Morey strikes a balance between what goes wrong… and an affectionate look at the magic that holds companies together.”
“Laughing Stock will indeed have you laughing in your seat if not rolling in the aisles. It’s a hoot; it’s a blast.”
Performances of Laughing Stock are scheduled for 15 times on four weekends, from September 7 through 30. Call the box office for reservations and ticket information, at 633-4218. You won’t want to miss this funny and touching look at why we at the RTG love to put on plays to delight you, the audience.
From the Managing/Artistic Director - Doug Instenes
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US
As we head into our 70th season at the RTG, it seems appropriate that the first regular season play is a comedy about theatre. For 70 years the RTG has been dedicated to entertaining people, and we can well afford to laugh at ourselves.
We can laugh at the stereotypes we know so well – the actors, the crew and the director. (Maybe not the director.) Who can’t laugh at the missed cues? Hopefully, these things don’t happen too often in our shows, but if they do, that’s live theatre for you.
As RTG turns 70, look for some fun events planned throughout the year. If you haven’t already, please consider purchasing a season ticket. It’s not too late, great seats are still available, and you’ll save!
If laughter’s your thing, join us for the third season of our popular (and often sold-out) Comedy Tonight series. John McGivern is returning, as is ComedySportz. New are Fred Klett and Dobie Maxwell, with local favorite Steve DeClark. Buy tickets for the performances you want, or buy the whole series at a special price.
To help celebrate our 70th birthday, the RTG bought itself a present, a computerized box office system. Not as exciting as sending the staff to Jamaica, but we hope it will make our operation more efficient. However, we will have some growing pains, as you may have already noticed. Please be patient with us, as we learn our new system.
There’s a celebratory feel to the RTG’s season 70. We expect the party to last all year long. Call the box office at 633-4218 to join the fun.
LAUGHING STOCK
by Charles Morey
CAST
Gordon Page ........... Chuck Lindas
Jack Morris .............. Nathan Stamper
Susannah .................. Laura-Nicole Musolf
Mary Pierre .............. Nicole Gorski
Tyler ......................... Zachary Scot Johnson
Vernon Volker .......... Jerry Rannow
Richfield Hawksley .... Jim Meyers
Daisy Coates ............. Betty Petersen
Craig Conlin .............. Scott Cannady
Sarah McKay ............ Joan Roehre
Henry Mills ................ Mike Shelby
Karma ....................... Suzanne Peterson
Braun Oakes ............. Michael Gerlach
CREW
Director ...................... Jenny Kostreva
Scenic Design .............. Lizz Otto-Cramer
Technical Director ........ Kurt Oian
Prod. Stage Mgr. .......... Brian Schalk
Stage Manager ............. Emily Breiwick
Lighting Design ............. Chip Robertson
Light Technican ............ Missi Fleishman
Sound Design ............... Stephen Kalmar II
Sound Tech. ................. Fran Maccanelli
Costume Design ........... Carol Forbes
Wardrobe .................... Amber Fay
Props ........................... Donna Nielsen
Makeup ....................... Mona Lewis