BECCA MARTIN-BROWN
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It’s tougher than you would possibly suppose to make a theater veteran chuckle uproariously.
It’s not that they’re jaded. In no way. It’s simply that, as Tina Dale says, she learn loads of scripts attempting to determine what to direct throughout the Fort Smith Little Theatre 2025 season.
“This script had me laughing from the beginning,” Dale says. “By the point I received to Act II, I used to be laughing so exhausting I used to be crying.”
The comedy is titled “Ladies’ Weekend,” and it’s a up to date script by a Des Moines actress, Karen Schaeffer.
“The short velocity of the dialogue and motion, the mistaken identities, the comedian surprises and the bodily comedic stunts all lend to creating this an distinctive farce,” Dale says. “Audiences should be prepared for a whirlwind of enjoyable. They should be ready for what’s nearly to occur, as a result of one thing is all the time ‘nearly to occur,’ and the characters will all be zany of their reactions.
“That is my first try at directing door-slamming, ladder-climbing, window-sneaking hilarity, and it’s an enormous problem,” she provides. “Fortuitously, I’ve some veteran actors who’re used to performing in farces. They only appear to instinctively know what I would like them to do.”
The premise sounds easy sufficient — on the face of it. Divorcees Dot (Micki Voelkel) and Meg (Rikkee Black) journey to a distant cabin in Minnesota to host a e-book membership assembly/women’ weekend. Becoming a member of them are ditsy e-book membership member Carol (Carol Sikes) and Meg’s daughter Ellie (Jamie Lambdin-Bolin).
“However as with many e-book golf equipment, the e-book will get tossed apart in favor of juicier topics — within the girls’s case, the lads they left behind,” writes Des Moines Register critic Michael Morain.
And that’s when it will get sophisticated. Meg has a secret: She has been relationship Dot’s 30-year-old son Stephen (Ian Miller). Carol is attempting to get pregnant, so when her temperature reveals she is ovulating, she invitations her husband Rick (Logan Parks) again to the cabin to make a child — in secret. Ellie meets an previous school pal Bubba (Robert Montgomery), who invitations her to go to an area bar for karaoke — however she doesn’t need to break Dot’s plans for the ladies’ weekend. And the sheriff (Brett Quick) exhibits as much as inform the ladies they’re about to be snowed in — and falls for Meg.
Rikkee Black says to maintain up, the viewers has to concentrate from the very starting.
“There are loads of particulars being gone over [then] that assist them perceive simply what’s going on and why.”
Requested her favourite second, Micki Voelkel directs playgoers to the beginning of Act II, “an prolonged scene that includes an ill-fated dinner, characters dancing, passing out, and hiding and falling out and in of closets! It’s a don’t-miss scene!”
Carol Sikes favors “the scene within the second act the place Stephen (Ian Miller) by accident hides in my room pondering it’s a closet.”
“This script is hilarious,” says Voelkel. “It’s filled with mature, sassy girls simply having enjoyable! My character has a ton of bodily comedy! Rolling round on the ground — and getting up once more — will not be as straightforward because it was 20 years in the past. I’ve wanted stretches and Tylenol to stick with it!”
“The present is a bit bodily demanding, and all the time go, go, go,” agrees Black. “But it surely’s too enjoyable!”
“Timing needs to be simply good to ensure that all of the motion and response to make good sense and really be humorous,” explains Dale. “Getting that timing down and making the logistics of ladders attending to bedrooms and being secure sufficient for escaping mentioned bedrooms and getting beds organized so the viewers can see and admire all that is occurring in a scene has been an enormous problem.
“Seeing every part come collectively and realizing I’m laughing each night time by way of rehearsals has made all the course of a lot enjoyable.”
Dale provides that she notably appreciates the “group” in group theater.
“I really like the camaraderie and the relationships. I additionally love constructing one thing that entertains. That second when you understand you’ve been capable of entertain an viewers is essentially the most superb factor, whether or not as an actor or as a director. I really like that second.
“I needed to deliver all that laughter to our theater.”
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FAQ
‘Ladies’ Weekend’
WHEN — 7:30 p.m. Could 29 (opening night time); once more Could 30-31 & June 4-7; 2 p.m. June 1
WHERE — Fort Smith Little Theatre, 401 N. Sixth St., Fort Smith
COST — $20 opening night time; $13 all different performances
INFO — fslt.org/girls-weekend/
