BWW Interviews: DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER to Open 2015 Season at the Old Opera House

By: Feb. 02, 2015
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With Valentines Day quickly approaching, a comedy about a romantic dinner sounds perfect. Add in mistaken identities, sexual humor and some surprise plot twists, and you find the perfect date night in the comedy Don't Dress for Dinner, premiering this Friday to open the 2015 season at the Old Opera House.

Directed by Steven Brewer, Don't Dress for Dinner is fast-paced farce set in the charming French countryside. Bernard is planning a romantic weekend with his mistress while his wife, Jacqueline, is away. He invites his best friend, Robert, over for a fool-proof alibi. But, as it turns out, Robert is actually Jacqueline's lover, Jacqueline decides not to leave after all, Bernard's mistress must now pretend to be the cook and everyone's alibi is altered as Bernard and Robert try to talk their way out of a relationship mess!

In a comedy full of mistaken identities, highlighting the unique characters within the farce is extremely important and the cast quickly rose to the challenge.

"My own part involves a fair amount of physical comedy, but timing, as with all farces, is extremely important too. My part is small but I still have to work hard to make sure I'm hitting the right beats at the right time. I get to be a bit of a capstone for the action, leading to the climax" said Will Heyser, who plays George.

"The lines are extremely difficult and need to be done exactly so that the jokes hit right and the timing is correct. Some of the dialogue is meant to confuse the other characters, which makes it hard to make logical sense of the lines. My character gets to spin her own web of lies and also gets played by her husband for a while" said Christine Brewer, who plays Jacqueline.

Much of the comedy in Don't Dress for Dinner stems from the interwoven personal relationships between the characters and, in real life, the cast forming the comedic relationship is a very close-knit group.

"This has been a great experience with a supportive and hard working group of actors. I think that will come out in the performance" said Brewer.

"Just getting to be in this show is a lot of fun for me because I enjoy farce and working with my fellow actors putting it together is a blast" said Heyser.

The cast has been rehearsing constantly to perfect the non-stop comedy and cannot wait to share the opening show of the Old Opera House 2015 season with an audience.

"It is going to be fun for the audience because they will know more than the characters know. I think that will make things even funnier" said Brewer.

"It's a very funny play and I think the audience will enjoy the twists and turns that lead to the conclusion. It's a complicated plot but it's rewarding at the end" said Heyser.

Don't Dress for Dinner also features Charlie Perkins as Bernard, Alan Harner as Robert, Tia Coode as Suzanne and Kelly Pannill as Suzette. Don't Dress for Dinner will run February 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 at the Old Opera House, located at 204 N. George Street, Charles Town, WV. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8:00 PM and Sunday matinee performances are at 2:30 PM.. Tickets are $19 for adults at Friday and Saturday evening performances, $17 for adults at Sunday matinees and $12 for students and children at all performances. Please call 304-725-4420 or visit www.oldoperahouse.org to make reservations.

Photo Credit: Old Opera House

 

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