The World is a Stage
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If you had a choice between sitting at the kitchen table with the women or out in the garage with the men where would you choose? Gals in the kitchen, guys in the garage, right?
Well, personally, I would prefer the garage myself. There are so many interesting things in an old garage. Granted there are a lot of tools I have no idea how to use, but there are always old lawn toys, and silly garden stuff and often antiques or items that no one knew what to do with, and didn’t want to throw out, so out to the garage it went. The problem would be for me, of course, that the guys don’t want the girls in the garage.
The garage is a place that many men can call their own, or their man cave. I don’t like that moniker as a cave is often dark and damp and dreary with weird things in it. Oh! That does describe a lot of garages doesn’t it!
Well, you can check out the garage we have recreated on the Otter Valley Playhouse stage for our next production of ‘Guys In A Garage’ by Rob Bundy. It is a treat to say that Rob is Canadian and wrote and starred in this show in his hometown of Goderich. He has also written six other full length plays.
This garage belongs to Tommy Tilbury, who has been collecting all the ‘stuff’ for many years. It is a place where his male friends and neighbours can come to relax and maybe have a beer. They may need to complain about their Honey Do List, or their Honey, or job or life in general or brag about their prowess or new lawn mower and seek sage advice from one another. Occasionally they even indulge in gossip, during their dart game. It is nice to do a Canadian play as you get to actually talk and see Canadian things like hockey and Wayne Gretzky! No, Wayne is not dropping in for a visit. Too bad, eh?
Let me tell you one challenge in creating this set. Can you imagine the sheer volume of props, aka stuff it takes to fill a garage? Think fondly of Pete and Sherry Matthews who did the set décor and now have nothing left in their garage and workshop!
Something you may not have noticed over Theater Tillsonburg's 35 years of productions is that most of the time, if the cast is mostly women, it is directed by a man, and when the cast is mostly men, it is directed by a woman. I can never figure that out. It has happened again, for “Guys In A Garage” has Melanie Watts, directing the boys.
Stacey Riley, who has tried many positions on and off stage has stepped into one of the more difficult jobs of producing this show and has many helping with advertising, publicity, etc. Continuing on in order that the different departments have to be completed back stage; I designed the set and the construction was done by Peter Beechey, Ward Smith and Pete Matthews. Once that was complete, Pete and Sherry then did painting and décor. Props, which are the items that the cast handles on stage, like specific tools, dart board, paper, cups and let's not forget the beer, were gathered, organized and guarded by Sheila Tripp, who also oversaw costumes, which in this show is wonderful as most of the cast could use their own clothing.
Jennifer Jull will teach the guys how to look the right age and give enough contours they don’t disappear in the lights!
Next, Sean Goble our lighting and sound guru, designed and arranged those effects as well as being our Stage Manager. Ten Sanders is his assistant backstage. Richard Tilleman is running the soundboard and Braden Fitzpatrick will be running the lighting board.
The last department to come online is Front House run by Renee Pelland. Although last up, the front house crew are the first to welcome and set the mood for the audience.
The males bonding in the garage are Tommy, played by Stuart Ion, and his friends; Don, played by Paul Buchner; Dave, played by Fred Dupon; Charlie, played by Mark 'the Original' Smith; Walt, played by Harry VandenBiggelaar, and Mike, played by Joey Sanders.
There is one woman in the show, Pat Linn, who is usually behind the curtains, playing Tommy’s wife Margery. It does require one woman to keep some semblance of reality in the garage!
Guys, this show is for you but most excellent for the women to see and understand what happens ‘out there’. You might enjoy our Meet and Greet following our opening night performance on Thursday, Feb. 9.
The show runs Feb. 9-12 and 16-19 at 8 p.m. except the two Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. at the Otter Valley Playhouse, 144789 Potters Rd. Tickets are $20 and are available by calling Dianne at the Box Office (leave a message) at 519 688 3016, or you can order online yourself at www.theatretillsonburg.com. Have your credit card ready.