Actors' Circle Theatre will present Israel Horovitz's UNEXPECTED TENDERNESS, directed by Wendy Almeida at The Peterborough Players from November 16-20, 2011.
Per Director Wendy Almeida, "Over the course of life, and as is constantly reflected in theatre, pain doesn't always lead to pain. How Mollie deals with Archie's jealousy and anger is very brave, and I feel that audiences will relate to the play in myriad ways, not avoid it for fear of it being too heavy. The play is actually very funny - much of it obvious, yet much of it subtle - and the actors are perfectly cast. And this particular show in this particular venue - The Peterborough Players - ensures an absolutely magical night of theatre." Almeida and Producer Mia Moravis composed a slogan for the show: "Every holiday season, family members gather and potential mayhem ensues... You think your family's dysfunctional? This family's kooky all year!" "Audiences are notified that this show contains scenes of domestic violence, despite its obvious dark humor, yet offers excellent opportunities for the actors." One of the biggest challenges is casting. For any community theatre organization, there is a core group of people counted on for most productions, but recruiting new folks is necessary. "Fortunately, the area is blessed with a great number of talented people and it is fun to pull them together in a production like this," says Almeida. Producer Mia Moravis adds, "Regarding the challenge of casting, this is a relatively small cast, yet we are overjoyed with new and returning talent, so our fall show will include ACT veterans, as well as community theatre actors who are new to our audiences. We're also proud to involve actors from area high schools, and our cast includes youth who are returning to ACT after a year or two away. Also, we're working with actors from the westerly portion of the region, so this year, we're able to embrace even more of the Monadnock region in our overall outreach."
The cast includes Bert Torsey of Marlborough as Archie/Roddy the Elder; Heather McCormack of Antrim as Mollie; Marilyn Simons of Jaffrey as Haddie; Ben Wise of West Chesterfield as Jacob; Madeline Ciocci of Peterborough as Sylvie; Michael Zrzavy of Peterborough as Roddy the Younger; and Mel Bucklin of Milford as Willie.
ACT produces a show each fall in order to offer diverse - and reasonably-priced - theatre experiences to the region's audiences. By staging this production at The Peterborough Players, current audiences can look forward to the show as an extension of the theatrical season and watch people they know perform in a hallowed, professional venue, and new audiences can discover ACT as they return to a place in which they love to experience live theatre. This year, ACT received a donation from The Sanderson Family Foundation in northern New Hampshire, too, in support of the show. States Moravis, "It's a bold undertaking, and the response has been very positive."
"Unexpected Tenderness" Details:
Actor's Circle Theatre (ACT) presents Israel Horovitz's dark comedy, "Unexpected Tenderness," directed by Wendy Almeida. Show dates are November 16, 17, 18 and 19, 2011, 8PM, and November 20, 2011, 2PM. All shows will be performed at The Peterborough Players, 55 Hadley Road, Peterborough, NH. Sponsors include The Sanderson Family Foundation. For ticket information, please visit www.actorscircletheatre.org. The November 16th show is a preview show for high school and college students, with discount ticket prices available. Please contact Producer Mia Moravis at mia_moravis@yahoo.com for more information.
Actors' Circle Theatre is a Performing Partner of The Park Theatre, and participates in Arts Alive!, whose mission is to enhance quality of life by advancing arts and culture in the Monadnock region. For more information about Arts Alive!, visit the Arts Alive! website at www.monadnockartsalive.org. For details about ACTS's 2011 season, Shakespeare in the Park, and more, please visit www.actorscircletheatre.org.
