Adam Prudhomme
Editor
The many aspects of matrimony will be explored through comedy and song during the Lennox Community Theatre’s upcoming production of Married Alive!
Debuting on April 28 at 7:30 p.m., the show will feature 7:30 p.m. shows on April 29, May 4, 5, 6, 11, and 12 with 2 p.m. matinees on May 7 and 13.
“Essentially it’s a story of marriage,” said director Lisa Flannagan. “It’s a musical comedy. There’s two main couples who are helping to tell the story of the journey of marriage and all it’s high and lows and the whole journey.”
One couple-Erin and Paul, are newly weds, the other-made up of Ron and Diane, has been married for a few years and suffice to say the honeymoon is over.
“It’s a series of vignettes that are kind of strung together,” said Flannagan. “Lots of sentimental but lots of comedy, a little bit of farce and a little bit of slapstick.”
Putting on the play required ambition from the cast and crew, in more ways than one. Though the cast of six is relatively small, the story requires several scenes-three living rooms, an airport, a therapist’s office, a chapel and a café, just to name a few. Also in the mix is the fact it’s a musical, which requires live music. That’s where John Hall comes in. Accommodating his piano took a bit of ingenuity, with an extension added to the corner of the stage.
“The accompaniment is quite extensive,” said Hall, noting there are several styles of music covered as well. “The musical numbers are a challenge. They’re not straight forward, easy things. It’s been a lot of extra work to learn these songs.”
Fortunately Hall is up to the task and knows a thing or two about the instrument as curator of the Canadian Piano Museum, found right here in Napanee. Though a keyboard is a common prop in a Lennox Theatre production, rare, if ever, is there a full piano.
Getting the sound right within the Selby theatre required some trial and error as well, though Hall struck the right chord but affixing foam to the back of the piano.
Staging this show will be something of a symbolic accomplishment as well in that casting was just underway in February of 2020 when everything was ground to a halt. In true theatrical style, the cast never gave up on their goal of performing the play and everyone that was originally cast in their roles have returned three years later.
Tickets for Married Alive! can be purchased online at https://www.lennoxtheatre.ca/.