Footlight Players planning production of ‘The Foursome’
Theater: Shane Pyle gives Nathan Mayse some golf tips while practicing a scene from “The Foursome.” Watching the action are Jeff Wherley and Denny Blanford. The four actors will perform the Footlight Players latest production at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, at Triple Locks Theater, 685 N. Whitewoman St. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
COSHOCTON – A lot can change in 25 years as the audience will learn in the Footlight Players current production of Norm Foster’s “The Foursome.”
“The play is about friends who gather for their reunion and realize that things are never what you think,” said Kathy Reid, who directs the play.
“The Foursome” takes place entirely on the 18 tees of a golf course, where four old friends, home for their college reunion, hook up for a round of golf and delight the audience with the surprises that are revealed as they share their successes and failures.
“Can you go home again?” Reid said. “Some say yes and some say no, but this play presents both sides as the characters find interesting things out about each other. It’s not just about golfing.”
Playing the role of the friends are four Footlight Players veterans, Shane Pyle, Denny Blanford, Nathan Mayse and Jeff Wherley.
Pyle plays Rick, the eternal bachelor who has managed to avoid marriage for the past 25 years and enjoys partying in Florida.
“He’s always got some scheme in his back pocket,” Pyle said.
Blanford plays Ted, the conservative and serious member of the group who has trouble laughing at himself.
“He’s also very competitive with Rick,” Blandford said.
Mayse plays Donnie, a family man and father of five and Wherley is Cameron, who is described as a run of the mill kind of guy.
“He has a terrible revelation in the second part of the play though,” Wherley said about his character.
All four actors are excited to be working together and having Reid direct them.
“They are a great bunch of guys and Kathy is a super lady,” Blanford said. “She’s very tolerant of us.”
This will be Pyle’s last time on stage for five years and he’s glad it’s with the cast members of “The Foursome.”
“I am going to be District Governor for Rotary and my duties will call me away from the theater,” he said. “I love to work with these guys and I love to play golf so this play was a great opportunity for me to go out on.”
It’s also a chance to give people a good laugh.
“I read a lot of plays and anymore very few of them make me laugh out loud, but I didn’t get through the first page before I did that with this one,” Wherley said.
The play may be set on a golf course and feature an all male cast, but Mayse said both males and females will find it enjoyable.
“It’s about a group of friends who were thick as thieves and haven’t seen each other in years, but fall right back into place with each other,” he said. “I think both males and females can relate to that. It’s funny and unique.”
Golfers also will like it because two rounds of golf will be given away at each production and those prizes come from local courses, Hickory Flats and River Greens.
Curtain time for the play is 8 p.m. and it will be performed Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, at Triple Locks Theater, 685 N. Whitewoman St. Adult tickets (age 18 and up) are $12 and student tickets (age 17 and below) are $7. The box office can be reached at 622-2959 from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 2 to 4 p.m. performance days or tickets can be reserved online at www.footlightplayers.com.
“I’ve directed five to 10 plays and its wonderful watching characters you read about in a book come to life on stage,” Reid said. “When you have the right people in the right parts it’s magical.”
Assisting with the play are Marsha Cusin, producer; Frank Ackerman, stage manager who also appears on stage as the groundskeeper; and Roger Eastman, lights and sound.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Arts & Entertainment
