CORNWALL, Ontario – The Seaway Valley Theatre Company is poised to raise the curtain on another season of great community productions, with its upcoming performance of the raucous farce, Self Help, by Norm Foster.
The story centres around two second-rate actors, married couple, Hal and Cindy Savage who decide to reinvent themselves as self-help gurus, explained the show’s director, Michael Petrynka. Once they become wildly successful, cracks in their marriage begin to surface.
“We open the play with Cindy, just about to have an affair with the gardener, who collapses and dies, after Hal walks in on them,” said Petrynka. “The rest of the play is about concealing a dead body, and keeping the affair from investigators and reporters coming into the house.”
The cast includes some of the community’s favourites, starting with the very funny and versatile, Grant Reso, as Hal, and as his wife Cindy, the multi-talented, Lacie Petrynka, whose performance in last year’s Les Misérables, was a show-stopper.
Also in the cast, sure to be a delight, Alison Latimer, plays Bernice, a dim witted bumbling maid, who “doesn’t even know how to work an intercom system;” Chantal Desnoyers, as Ruby, a brassy, rough and tough talent agent; Paul Aubin, as Jeremy, a nosy reporter; and last, but certainly not least, the very funny Neil Carrière, as Detective Snow, an otherwise easy going cop, who is a bit distracted by a spat he had with his wife, earlier in the day. From previous experience (I’ll never forget the jockey silks, Neil), I’m willing to bet that Carrière’s performance alone will be worth the price of admission.
This is an adult-oriented show, warns Petrynka, mild enough, he says, however certain scenes and running gags, are not suitable for younger audiences.
“Audiences can expect a quick-paced romp, in and out, doors opening and closing, people flying all over the place, double entendres, and one-liners abound. This is a great cast; they all work very well together.”
Self Help, by Norm Foster, runs October 17, 18, 23, 24, and 25 at 7:30 pm, and on October 19, at 1:30 pm, at Dream Builder Studio, 2107 Second Street West. Tickets are $20.00 and available online at Admission.com, or at the Cornwall Civic Complex Box Office.
Also coming up for SVTC, during the 2014/2015 season: Disney’s Peter Pan, Jr; Monty Python’s Spamalot, by Eric Idle and John Du Prez; Maggie’s Getting Married, by Norm Foster; and Figments by Billy St. John. For any further information, visit www.svtc.ca.
