The Sherman Players Announce A Return to Live Theater With DURANG OUTDOORS

After being shuttered due to COVID, The Sherman Players have announced their return. President Steve Stott says of the announcement "I'm excited we're finally able to get back to what we love! It's been a long year!". This year The Sherman Players will offer a series of arts events and theatrical offerings on their mainstage and beyond.

The season will be kicked off on their outdoor stage (located on the grounds of the Sherman Playhouse) with 'Durang Outdoors', an evening of Christopher Durang One Acts under the stars, running only four performances, July 9th, 10th, 16th & 17th. The one act plays that will be presented are 'The Actor's Nightmare' & 'For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls'.

In 'The Actors Nightmare', an accountant named George finds himself mysteriously backstage in a theater being told he must replace one of the actors immediately. No one is sure of what play is being performed but George (costumed as Hamlet) seems to find himself in the middle of a scene from Private Lives, surrounded by such luminaries as Sarah Siddons, Dame Ellen Terry and Henry Irving. As he fumbles through one missed cue after another the other actors shift to Hamlet, then a play by Samuel Beckett, and then a climactic scene from what might well be A Man for All Seasons-by which time the disconcerted George has lost all sense of contact with his fellow performers. 'The Actor's Nightmare' takes on the age old fear of not being prepared in a way only a master satirist like Durang can.

'For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls' is Durang's absurd take on 'The Glass Menagerie'. In this parody of THE GLASS MENAGERIE, the fading Southern belle, Amanda, tries to prepare her hyper-sensitive, hypochondriacal son, Lawrence, for "the feminine caller." Terrified of people, Lawrence plays with his collection of glass cocktail stirrers. Ginny, the feminine caller, is hard of hearing and overbearingly friendly. Brother Tom wants to go the movies, where he keeps meeting sailors who need to be put up in his room. Amanda tries to face everything with "charm and vivacity," but sometimes she just wants to hit somebody.

'The Actor's Nightmare' will be directed by Jessica Smith (New Fairfield) and 'For whom The Southern Belle Tolls' will be directed by Matt Austin (New Milford).The cast of 'Durang Outdoors' includes local favorites Jody Bayer (Danbury), Priscilla Squiers (Danbury), Bruce Tredwell (Brewster), Jim Hipp (New Milford), Matt Austin (New Milford) and Heather Haneman (Dover Plains). Technical production will be by Al Chiapetta.

Artistic director Matt Austin said of the evening, 'I am thrilled we are able to kick off our return to providing great theater to the area with two classic comedies from one of the most beloved playwrights of our time. Not to mention with this dream cast"

'Durang Outdoors' will be presented on the outdoor stage at the Sherman Playhouse on July 9,10,16 & 17. All performances at 8pm. Tickets are $23 and can be purchased by going to www.shermanplayhouse.org. Don't forget to bring yours chairs and a picnic. Grounds open about an hour before show time.

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