Players take the stage for a comedic production that showcases local talent both onstage and backstage.
Originally written by playwright Ken Ludwig in 1995, Moon Over Buffalo is a comedic play that explores the evolving world of theatre as it moves into the modern age. Set in the fifties, the plot of the play revolves around two aging Broadway stars (George and Charlotte Hay, played by Howard Welburn and Tina Bye) that are facing the realization that the world of theatre might be losing steam due to the looming presence of television and movies. All the while, the duo, who are facing their own struggles as a couple, are also coming to terms with the idea of passing the torch to their daughter, Rosalind Roz (played by former CVR student and Dawson Drama student Summer Eastwood) and her boyfriend (portrayed by musician Jeremy Robidoux).
Like the wildly successful presentation of Grove Hall’s Lend Me a Tenor last year (also penned by Ludwig), the play calls for eight characters, played by many of the actors who took the stage for Lend Me a Tenor. What makes the play so original is that it is presented as a play within a play. The first act of the production portrays the actors performing in Cyrano de Bergerac, later transitioning to a scene where they reprise their roles as their real life characters, until they take up parts in the 1930s work Private Lives. Confused? You shouldn’t be—it makes for a lively transition on stage, where locals get to play actors who are playing actors, making for plenty of drama and humour.
Presented upon a revolving stage (originally designed by retired Cirque de Soleil set builder Pierre LaChance), Moon Over Buffalo has called upon many talented locals. The production has also required an incredible amount of creativity on the part of local wig master Richard Hansen, the costume designer for the play (who also takes up the role of Richard in the piece), who has to outfit the cast through three time periods. As for the stage, it is a creature in itself, creating a work that is both original and fast-paced. Organizing the play has been quite an adventure, according to hall co-owner Mark Bye, who said, “I love the speed of the show. It is all fast and intense. It depends on timing. It is staged on a two-storey revolving set with a back and front side, five staircases and six entrances. The challenge is for the cast—coming up and down the stairs, on and off the stage, sword fights, rolling and doing physical stunts. Pushing us to our limits,but at the same time, it is tremendous fun.”
Run by Mark and Tina Bye, Grove Hall has become a hub for creative types in the area. “The point of the Rural Arts Project is to allow people to try arts that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to try,” says Tina about the current arts program in place at the hall. Tina herself comes from a background in theatre—she not only taught drama at CVR, but spent a significant amount of time directing and working behind the scenes at the likes of The Centaur Theatre Company and The National Arts Centre, later working as a therapist at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. She feels that “…there is a huge wealth of natural talent in the area.”
The play will be presented over three weekends, with Saturday productions being accompanied by dinner, catered by Montreal’s BESO and curated by Connor Stacey (the coffee served throughout the performances will be supplied by local company River Road Roasters). The play will premier on Friday, January 22nd at 8:00 P.M. and run until Sunday, February 7th, with three shows per weekend. For a full list of show times, consult www. grovehall.ca or contact Mark Bye at 514-791-5100.
