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Home - Local News Sports Obituaries Editorial Social Archives |
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Social - April 2002 |
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LTG stages ‘The Dining Room’ Play captures life’s funny —and poignant — moments By DIANE TURBYFILL, LTN Staff Writer April 8, 2002 - The Lincoln Theatre Guild’s production of “The Dining Room” gives audiences an opportunity to be flies on the wall — in 18 dining rooms. Author A.R. Gurney’s play chronicles family life in America. And Lincoln’s actors capture the funny, tragic and bittersweet moments played out in dining rooms over the past century. “This is about family and all of the good and bad things that happen,” says director Wendy Walega. The experienced director — who most recently directed “Deathtrap” in Shelby — has worked with her cast and crew to perfect the flow of the 18 scenes. The walls of the set are painted black. Walega says she hopes the subtle set and lighting effects will allow “ghosts of the past to step out and tell their stories.” As one vignette comes to a close, conversation begins at the opposite end of the dining room table. The six actors in the show — Ginger Deaton, Carl Dunn, Rory Dunn, Leigh Allen Guth, Cherri Punch and James Schmitt — portray numerous parts. Playing about ten characters each, the talented thespians use facial expressions, body language and voice inflection to play the many parts. “They range from small children to the elderly,” Walega says. Walega describes preparing for the show as being both challenging and rewarding for herself and the actors. One of her challenges was to make certain that the overlapping scenes transition well and that the characters are believable. “This show gives the actors a chance to stretch their acting muscles.” Walega says the situations are quite realistic, and the actors effectively create a suspension of disbelief — though audiences must adapt to seeing a middle-aged woman play a teenager and a 40-something man play a 70-year-old grandfather. Children blow noisemakers and sing happy birthday while a man and a woman talk quietly about their ongoing affair. A family gathers for Thanksgiving dinner and faces the true reality of their mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease. An elderly man preaches to his greedy grandson about the evils of money. And a mother and teenage daughter argue about the value of dance lessons. Though some scenes may seem too hilarious imagine in your own dining room, Walega says many should look familiar. “I think a lot of people will recognize little moments from their family.” “The Dining Room,” sponsored by Julius Blum, Inc., opens Thursday at the Lincoln Cultural Center. Tickets are sold in advance or at the door. |
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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