"The
Foreigner" makes a visit to Ketchum
Wood River High
School Players mount comedy at nexStage
By DANA
DUGAN
Express Staff Writer
Among the
theater companies in the valley, The Wood River High School Players stands
out for its sheer determination and continued progress.
This
weekend will mark the second year the players have mounted a show at the
nexStage Theatre in Ketchum. "The Foreigner," directed by
Rebecca G. Miller, plays Dec. 6, 7 and 9 for four performances. The
evening curtain is set for 8 p.m. and there’ll be a Saturday afternoon
matinee at 2 p.m.
Tickets are
available at Chapter One Book Store in Ketchum and Read All About it in
Hailey.
Photo
courtesy Gary Hoffman
Appearing
in the play are Wood River High School students Andy McCullum, Collin
Kinder, Will Hemmings, Adam Bohrer, Matt Van Zeipel, Erika Freestone and
Jessica Jensen.
About 30
students auditioned for the production, said Wood River High School Player
director Deb Bohrer. "They were all talented. Becky could have cast
it three times. It was a difficult decision."
"The
Foreigner" premiered at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in January
1983. It went on to win two Obie Awards—for off-Broadway plays—and two
Outer Circle Awards. Two years later, playwright and actor Larry Shue was
killed in an airplane crash. He was 39.
A viable
talent in the theater world, Shue had also written the hilarious comedy
"The Nerd," which was produced on London’s West End with Rowan
Atkinson in the lead in 1982 and on Broadway in 1987.
The story
of "The Foreigner" involves a mismatched group of men at a
fishing lodge in rural Georgia who meet while on vacation.
Froggy, an
ex-Army serviceman running maneuvers at a near by Army base, has brought
along a shy and personality-challenged friend, Charlie. Not wanting to
interact with anyone Froggy introduces him as a foreigner.
This turn
of events proves to be highly hilarious as well as intriguing, because the
locals are not used to such exotic visitors.
The locals,
understandably, begin to speak freely in front of Charlie, pouring out
their secrets, teaching him English and at the same time lifting their
spirits.
The
unintended consequences are not only uproarious, but lead Charlie to
uncover a scheme that puts him and his fellow guests in danger.
Witty and
sharp-tongued, the play also encompasses a little dark streak with a
downright suspenseful finale.
It remains,
however, guileless and charming throughout. At the same time it is also a
thought provoking evening of theater, as it reinforces ideas of cognition
and how our perceptions are changed by ignorance.
Tickets for
this comedy are $5 for students and $8 for adults.