Silver Spring Stage Presents GOOD PEOPLE, 6/27-7/20

Silver Spring Stage presents the community theater premiere of Good People by David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Michael Kharfen and produced by Seth Ghitelman, the humorous and powerful portrait of a South Boston woman struggling to make ends meet who unexpectedly encounters an old fling that has achieved success. Good People will perform weekends June 27 to July 20, 2014. Note there will not be a performance on Friday July 4, 2014.

Silver Spring Stage is located in the Woodmoor Shopping Center, lower level (next to the CVS) at Colesville Road and University Boulevard. Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and students. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sundays July 6, 13 and 20 at 2:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased at www.ssstage.org. Information is also available by calling (301) 593-6036.

Following his success with Rabbit Hole and Shrek the Musical, David Lindsay-Abaire, said that he wanted to write a play about class. And he wanted to write his first play about the neighborhood where he grew up in South Boston or "Southie". He wrote about Good People: "Class is something I know about. I've lived it every day of my life, and it shaped me in my identity. We have this myth that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything. It's not a very American thing to say, but I don't think that's true.It's true for a lot of people, but you need other things to succeed. You need luck, you need opportunity, and you need the life skills to recognize what an opportunity is." Luck is the other theme of the play. The characters have moments in their lives where they are either the beneficiary or not of luck: from winning or losing at bingo to being able to paying the rent. There are even bigger moments that test whether or not they truly are good people. Lindsay-Abaire tempers these big topics with lots of Southie humor, a no-holds barred hilarity that is the fuel that keeps the characters going. Good People will keep audiences laughing and on the edge of their seats as to what happens next.

Margie Walsh (Roxanne Fournier Stone), a lifelong resident of Southie, a blue collar Boston neighborhood, is fired for tardiness from her job as a cashier at a dollar store by one of her girlhood friend's son Stevie (David Dieudonne). During a conversation with her landlady Dottie (Declan Cashman) and friend Jean (Marianne Meyers), she learns that her old High School boyfriend Mike (Kevin Dykstra) is back in town. She visits and asks him for a job, which he doesn't have. She gets Mike to reluctantly invite her to his birthday party where she might get a job from one of his friends. Later, his daughter gets sick and Mike calls her to cancel. Margie doesn't believe him and shows up at his house anyway where she meets Mike's wife Kate (Tanya Baskin). In a lively evening, old stories are told and secrets revealed. Good People will entertain, move and surprise audiences.

The production team includes Jerry Schuchman (Stage Manager), Mike Hovde (Set Design/Master Carpenter), Kevin Garrett (Sound Design), Bill Strein (Light Design), Harlene Leahy (Costume Design, Props, Set Dressing), and Peter Wuttke (Props).

Silver Spring Stage is excited to announce its 2014-2015 season, which kicks off with the 2014 One-Act Festival (Aug. 7-24) followed by God of Carnage (Sept. 19-Oct. 11), Earth and Sky (Oct. 31-Nov. 22), Holiday show to be named (Dec. 12-21), Orson's Shadow (Jan. 9-31), 33 Variations (Feb. 27-Mar. 21),The Language Archive (Apr. 10-May 2), On the Razzle (May 29-June 20), and Venus in Fur (July 10-Aug. 1).

Silver Spring Stage has provided quality, affordable theatre for over 40 years. We are an all-volunteer, non- profit organization and appreciate any contribution to enable us to offer excellent and entertaining productions. Thank you for your interest and support of Silver Spring Stage. All programs at Silver Spring Stage are made possible in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council.

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