Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theater will be presenting “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Feb 7, Feb. 8, Feb. 9, Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 at First Street Community Theater. Doors open Feb. 7, 8, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Feb. 9 and tickets are available now at mvlct.com for all shows.
Director Jarrod DeRooi said this has been one of his favorite shows since he first saw the show.
“I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to direct this show,” DeRooi said. “And I finally had the chance to do so, and have a great cast to put this show on with.”
DeRooi said that Edward Albee’s script is so rich to dramatize.
As he and his cast were working on putting together the stage for the show, DeRooi said that’s what makes them a dream to work with in a community theater production – every one is all hands in on the production.
“And while we have a lot of fun, this is an emotionally intelligent script dealing with some tough subject matters,” DeRooi said. “That’s a bit of a challenge for us all to tackle that in as sensitive manner as we can.”
Scott Humeston stars as George in the production.
Humeston stepped in for the role when he heard about the opening.
“They really don’t write parts like these anymore,” Humeston said of George.
His favorite part has been working alongside the great cast and production team for the show.
As for challenges, Humeston said the role is significant.
“He also has a tendency to switch from the emotions he is displaying on a dime, sometimes in the same scene,” Humeston said.
Grant Blades plays Nick in the production, his first with Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Theatre.
“I’d heard a lot about the show and had many people telling me this would be a good challenge for me as an actor,” Blades said.
Blades said one of his favorite parts of the role is how much Nick gets messed with during the show.
Denise Cherry plays Honey in the production, and is also a new actor for MVLCT.
“I had a number of friends reach out to me that this would be a good fit for me as an actress, as well as a challenge,” Cherry said. “I read the script and fell in love with the character.”
Cherry said her favorite part of the character is how off the wall Honey gets to be in the show.
Her biggest challenge is being the optimistic character, when in some scenes, everyone else is giving the opposite energy.
“It is just a fun time,” Cherry said. “It brings to light the social masks we all wear even if we don’t realize it. It also dives into how people behave behind closed doors.”
“If you love theater, this is a classic text of American theater,” Blades said.
“It’s a really great writing and I think it will have a good production with some twists you may not have seen in other productions,” Humeston said.
“It’s such a rich and great script, and we’re pulling out all the stops to put this show on,” DeRooi said. “I don’t know it’s a show I’ll ever get the opportunity to do the show this way.”