Union College Theatre Presents 'Amateurs'
Amateurs, the Union College Theatre fall production, is scheduled to open at Rector Little Theatre on campus Thursday, Oct. 27, with performances continuing Oct. 28, 29 and Nov. 4, 5.
Admission is $5, and the curtain for all performances is 8 p.m. This play is not suitable for children.
Jennifer Mullins, a senior theatre major, is directing this touching comedy. Jennifer has returned to Union College after a 15-year break to finish her theatre degree. During her first term as a student in 1994, she played the female lead in The Diviners--a role for which she won Best Actress of the Year. As a coincidence, the cast and crew of The Diviners were honored during Union's homecoming this year as a favorite of Dr. Rebecca Pettys, professor of theatre, who will be retiring at the end of the school year.
At the core of Amateurs is Dorothy and Charlie, a couple who are hosting a party to celebrate the opening night of their community theatre's latest production, a musical about undertakers.
Or, at least, Dorothy is. Her husband, Charlie, has lived in his own little world since the death of their son in a freak playground accident. As soon as Dorothy leaves the living room to bring in more food, Charlie turns off all the lights and heads to bed. Dorothy finally manages to distract Charlie by asking him to bring in some additional chairs, an activity he doggedly pursues for the remainder of the evening.
Into Dorothy's living room comes a guest list of interesting characters. The party becomes the setting where the dreams, loves, failures and successes of this group are explored with bittersweet humor.
The cast is a mixture of Union College administrators, theatre alumni and students. Debbie d'Anna, whose "day job" is dean of students, leads the cast as Dorothy, a woman of endless patience and kindness. Playing Charlie is Wade Smith, who was active in theatre during his student days.
Featured guests are performed by Cortni Thrasher and Samson Anderson, who trade insults and barbs that mask their attraction to each other. Union College Theatre veteran Chris Adams plays Nathan, who can only overcome his natural shyness by speaking through his ventriloquist's dummy, Horace.
Jerry Jackson, also known as dean of admissions, takes on the totally hilarious role of Ernie, who thinks he is a great actor stuck with the unglamorous career of running a dry cleaning business. Brittany Burchfield returns to Union College Theatre after a brief hiatus to play his patient wife, Irene.
Taking on the role of Mona, an enthusiastic if somewhat naïve hippy, is Jessica Aldrich in her first onstage appearance. Rounding out the cast as Paul Courtland, the drama critic whose review creates a crisis, is Joshua Holmes.
Heading the technical staff as stage manager is Krystal Webb, a UCT veteran who has participated onstage and off stage since she arrived in fall of 2009. Joining her are veterans JoAnna Ezell, Emily Baker, Rebekah Seifu, Keith Parker, Steven Rodriguez and newcomers Alexandra Estes, Cory Sizemore and Erin Cooper.
