On Stage
Elise Harvey as Dolly in The Village Players production of “Hello Dolly,” which opens Friday.
The ah-ha destination this week might be live theater. Summer is a good time to discover what a fine stable of thespians we have working in NWA and to get out and support live theater in air-conditioned comfort.
The Boar’s Head Players will open Justin Blasdel’s “Your Last Friend, Inc.” on Wednesday. It’s the story of two small-time con men who are selling fake assisted suicide insurance. But soon the two are pondering do they skip town or should they stay and convince their customers to embrace life? The play is directed by Roger Gross and stars Vincent Berrios, Justin Cunningham, Drew Bulock, Danielle McKnight, Catherine Witherspoon and Anna Haslett. Performance are at 8 p.m. July 21-24. Tickets are $10 by calling 575-4752.
The busy Boar’s Head Players will then open “Murder and the English Gentleman: A Comedy” on July 28 for a four-night run. The quirky comedy was adapted from “Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime” by Oscar Wilde. After Lord Savile receives a spot of bad news, a mysterious fortuneteller tells him that he is fated to commit murder. The play is a madcap comedy of manners with an eclectic cast of characters who scam, scheme and seduce in order to survive the prediction. The play is directed by Esteban Arevalo Ibanez and stars David Michael Seals, Caden Worley, Brandi Hoofnagle, Emily Tomlinson, Frances Wilson and Forrest Jessing. Performances are at 8 p.m. July 28-31. Tickets are $10 by calling 479-575-4752.
Meanwhile, The Village Players have embarked on the biggest production in their 27 year history, defining what community theater is all about, with more than 80 volunteer actors and crew.
The company will open “Hello, Dolly!” on Friday at the Arend Arts Center in Bentonville. The musical follows matchmaker Dolly Levi, a real firecracker who can be counted on for anything from ear piercing and corset re-boning to mandolin instruction and short distance hauling. “Hello, Dolly!” moves from a sweet love story to high comedy when Dolly sets her cap for the wealthy Horace Vandergelder.
Elise Harvey, who has been acting and directing in Atlanta for the past several years, will take the role of Dolly.
Carl Ballou will become Horace Vandegelder for the production. A resident of Rogers, by way of San Jose, Calif., Ballou is making his stage debut with The Village Players, but is no stranger to theater with more than 75 show credits ranging from acting, directing, tech and lighting design.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $17 for adults and $8 for students and are available by calling 479-273-2556 or online at bvvillageplayer.org.
