Generally the first thing you hear a bout a show is the title. And sometimes the title alone can make you want to see a show. Ever since I first read the title of Del Shores’ comedy “Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got The Will?” I’ve wanted to see it. Rooftop Productions’ version, directed by Ted Ballard, did not disappoint my expectations.

Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got The Will? focuses on the Turnover family. Daddy has had a stroke, and the doctors feel the end is near. So Daddy’s mother-in-law Mama Wheelis calls the children together so they can say their last goodbyes. It’s a shame that they are much more focused on Daddy’s will, which has been misplaced. The kids’ selfishness is actually the least of their problems.

Mama Wheelis (Sherry Bendt) showed a strong attitude towards what she thignks is right. She frequently was frustrated with her grandchildren and their choices, but through it all she still loved them. Bendt made Mama Wheelis stern yet kind. Her interactions with Harmony were wonderful, as she flipped from scared and judgmental to concerned for his well-being. Buford “Daddy” Turnover was played by John Buckso with enough humor showing under the gruff exterior to be a sympathetic character. Indeed, as he suffered flashbacks in his altered mental state from his stroke, you felt sorry for him, but not as sorry as you did when you realized how messed up his children were.

The children were a great team when they were together. Sara Lee (Holly Martin Czuchna), the dutiful daughter, had several layers she brought out as the family fought. Her loneliness and regrets made for an interesting character. Lurlene (Grace Erdmann) was the wife of a preacher who was able to escape the family, but fit back in rather quickly. Country/pop singer Evalita (Sarah LaFantastie) had the most problems of any of the children, with six failed marriages and now living with her vegetarian boyfriend Harmony (Rodrigo Pool) in his psychedelic van while she plans to make it big with her record. And the sole son was Orville (Dan Miller), who was struggling to make ends meet. Orville’s wife Marlene (Sarah Akers) tried hard to please Orville, but his anger at life in general made that impossible.

As each combination of family and acquaintances shared their tales of woe and success, the others were changing between supportive and bickering. In general, we were watching a very dysfunctional family. But there was a wonderfully warm moment in the first act when Harmony was left alone in the living room that showed how nice and supportive the family could be. Harmony noticed some music on the piano, and started playing the music on his guitar. Eventually, others joined him by singing and Lurlene accompanied on the piano.

As Daddy’s health continued to decline, the pressure on the family mounted. And the results were explosive. LaFantasie made the most of Evalita’s problems, with a very nice bit as she finally broke down when the family complained about the outfit she planned to wear to Daddy’s funeral. Akers made the most of her decision on how to change her life, her farewell scene worked really well, and the audience was glad that she was able to gather her strength and keep her resolve. And the final scene does answer the question “who’s got the will?” when the family gets its act together at last.

Be aware that Daddy’s Dyin’ Who’s Got The Will? does contain adult language and situations. In sum, this show is very enjoyable, and the laughter will carry you through the emotional moments as the family struggles to be functional.

Photo Gallery

Harmony (Rodrigo Pool) plays the guitar with Lurlene on the piano (Grace Erdmann), Sara Lee (Holly Martin Czuchna), and Mama Wheelis (Sherry Bendt)	Sara Lee (Holly Martin Czuchna), Buford Turnover (John Bucsko), Mama Wheelis (Sherry Bendt), and Lurlene (Grace Erdmann)
Sarah LaFantasie as Evalita, Dan Miller as Orville, Grace Erdmann as Lurleen, and Sherry Bendt as Mama Wheelis

Photos by Anne Ridgway

Cast

• Marlene: Sarah Akers
• Mama Wheelis: Sherry Bendt
• Buford “Daddy” Turnover: John Buesko
• Sara Lee: Holly Martin Czuchna
• Lurlene: Grace Erdman
• Evalita: Sarah LaFantasie
• Orville Turnover: Dan Miller
• Harmony: Rodrigo Pool

Production Staff

• Director: Ted Ballard
• Technical Director: Dale Walsh
• Lighting Design: Dale Walsh
• Light Board Operator: Brooke Angel
• Stage Manager: Brooke Angel
• Sound Designer: Anna Hawkins
• Sound Board Operator: Anna Hawkins
• Costumer: Anne Vanderberger
• Assistant Stage Manager: Sallie Willows
• Properties: Cast
• Set Dressing: Cast
• Executive Producer: Anne Ridgway
• Graphic Design: Louise Noakes
• Assistant to the Executive Producer: Kim Love

Disclaimer: Rooftop Productions provided a complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Farce. It’s a really funny word. It instantly transports the person reading or hearing the word to another world where dead mean dance in kick lines and no one’s life is ever boring.

Out of Order by Ray Cooney, currently being performed by Rooftop Productions in Manassas, is a fun romp through London in the 1980’s. Richard Willey is Junior Government Minister and “lap dog” for Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative Party. As the play opens he’s carefully arranging a getaway with a pretty secretary from the House of Commons. He’s set the stage for romance, there’s only one problem – a dead body in the window. The story that ensues is very engaging and classic fun farce. There’s lots of door slamming, mistaken identities, and confusion that make it a treat to watch. Opening night seemed to be slightly hampered by several timing issues with a few actors and a few sound cue problems.

The timing was much more spot on by Act Two and the sound cue glitches were handled nicely by the actors. Overall, Out of Order proved to be a very funny tale that was well performed by its cast.

Bob Cohen led the cast as Richard Willey, the Junior Minister who was the mastermind of the evening’s plans. Mr. Cohen played Willey with a lusty Prince Charles feel that really connected well with the role showing just the right balance of British propriety and lust for life. Josh Bartosch played Willey’s Primary Parliamentary Secretary, George Pidgden. Mr. Cohen and Mr. Bartosh interacted well together however there were several times when timing seemed to be an issue. Bartosch really shone in the second act with some impressive bits of physical comedy mingled with romance. Nora Zanger’s potential romantic liaison Jane Worthington was very nervous, often distractingly so with lots of fluttering in place. Ian Wade’s portrayal of waiter Harold Cromwell was stellar. Every exchange he had with another character was always interesting with a measure of either bumble or scamp. Wade made impact from his first appearance where he didn’t even speak and continued to lead the comedy dynamic throughout the show. Darren Marquardt had the most difficult part playing the Body. His physical movements were so relaxed and weighted that he truly appeared to be a corpse. Mr. Marquardt’s performance was one of the high notes of the evening due to his commitment to physicality. The actor’s dialects ranged from fairly good to spotty and some actors seemed to make no attempt at all.

The set was designed to resemble a suite in The Westminster Hotel. The space was used very smartly to give actors the needed doors and window for their hijinks. The tasteful tapestry furniture gave the stage a feeling of tradition and warmth expected in an established London hotel. The main focal point of the stage is guillotine like window, which provided the backdrop for many comedic twists. However it did seem difficult for the ladies to climb out of as they were almost always in dresses and negligees. The door that was the entrance of the suite seemed to give a little trouble closing and staying closed. The costumes for the piece were very suitably executed. The wedding suit worn by the Body was a particular standout.

Out of Order is a quick-witted comedy, which was ultimately well executed and provides a happy escape into the world of politics. The world is currently so downtrodden with economics woes that a trip across the pond with a merry band of players is a most welcome reprieve.

Cast

• Richard Willey: Bob Cohen
• Manager: Joe Bersack
• Waiter (Harold Cromwell): Ian Wade
• Jane Worthington: Nora Zanger
• Body: Darren Marquadt
• George Pigden: Josh Bartosch
• Maid: Sallie Willows
• Ronnie Worthington: Chaz Pando
• Pamela Willey: Carolyn Cameron
• Nurse Gladys Foster: Debra Ovall

Crew

• Director: Vincent Worthington
• Costumer: Katherine Williamson
• Prop Mistress/ Set Dresser: Patti Taylor
• Set Designer: Vincent Worthington
• Technical Advisor: DK Stewart
• Sound Design: Dale Wash
• Lighting Design: Jeben Marhsall
• Stage Manager: Brooke Angel
• Dialect Coach: Bob Cohen
• Set Painting: Vincent Worthington, DK Stewart, Sarah Scott, Carolyn Cameron & Randy Chapman
• Set Construction: Vincent Worthington, DK Stewart & Phil Caplinger
• Stage Crew: Debra Ovall, Carolyn Cameron & Sallie Willows
• Executive Producer: Anne Ridgway
• Assistant to the Execituve Producer: Kim Love
• Graphic Designer/Photographer: Louise Noakes

Disclaimer: Rooftop Productions provided three complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

The Last of the Red Hot Lovers is a play in three acts by Neil Simon. It is the story of one man’s attempt to try and have a fling with three different women. Each one comes with her own set of baggage and Barney finally comes to realize that he is a decent guy who loves his wife.

This was your typical Neil Simon comedy, featuring lots of barb and witty banter with a touch of physical comedy thrown in for good measure. Once again this was a situation that involved comedic timing that was not always present in the opening performance at The Candy Factory in Manassas. Perhaps it was just opening night jitters, but the pacing just seemed too slow. Barney Cushman played by Daniel Purcell, the restaurant owner who married his high school sweetheart twenty plus years ago seemed hesitant. Not a scripted hesitant, but more like Purcell was still thinking and trying to remember his lines. His best scene was in the second act with Bobbi Michelle, a wanna be actress who had really bad luck, played by Hannah Marie Malinowski. Malinowski had some line problems as well, but was actually pretty funny. Her “true stories” she told with such drama that they left Barney and the audience speechless. Except for the audience’s laughter which was huge. The ending scene in the second act actually was really well done when Barney and Bobbi got high. Then their characters really relaxed.

The first woman Barney met upstairs, Elaine Navazio, was a cold hard live-in-the-moment woman played by Christine Lowry. Lowry entered the apartment of Barney’s mother and immediately took control. Of course poor Barney had no idea how to handle this. Some of the blocking seemed a bit forced and stunted. However, Lowry did a fair job of trying to get down to business by talking faster all the while showing disdain for “such a prude” as Barney came across. Their physical comedy on the sofa was surprising and humorous.

The last woman Barney took upstairs was a family friend, Jeanette Fisher played by Penny McKee. It was obvious that McKee was not into having an affair, just wanted to vent a little bit and have a good cry. This was the moment when Barney realized that he did care for his wife. McKee had played her part well. She had the nervous gestures and timid movements that showed she was new at this. The pacing was still slow, but this was the sweetest scene of all three.

One of the most interesting things about this show was the use of the costumes. Costumes were by Val Nelson and were really true to 1970s. The bright colors, lace and frills made the contrast to Barney’s blue traditional suits all the more stand out. Even the last act when he wore a pale checked suit made him seem kind and everyday, which he really was. The set by the show’s director Sallie Willows was well done and tasteful.

A Neil Simon comedy that despite some pacing issues was still a delightfully fun evening.

Cast

• Barnet Cashman: Daniel Purcell
• Elaine Navazio: Christine Lowry
• Bobbi Michelle: Hannah Marie Malinowski
• Jeanette Fisher: Penny McKee

Crew

• Director: Sallie Willow
• Set Design: Sallie Willows
• Lighting Design: Scott Bailey
• Costumes: Val Nelson
• Sound Design: Sallie Willows
• Producer: Christine Lowry
• Theatre Arts Director: Anne Ridgway
• Graphic Design: Louise Noakes

Disclaimer: Rooftop Productions provided a complimentary media ticket to ShowBizRadio for this review.

• Last of the Red Hot Lovers, November 2010 Schedule
• Dearly Departed, March – April 2011 Schedule

Schedule is subject to change due to performance rights conflicts or other issues.

This is the Showbiz Radio Review of A Thurber Carnival performed by Rooftop Productions in Manassas, Virginia. I saw the performance on opening night Friday, November 7, 2008.

A Thurber Carnival is a revue by James Thurber, adapted by the author from his stories, cartoons and casuals (humorous short pieces), nearly all of which originally appeared in The New Yorker Magazine.

Being a revue, this show did not really have an overall plot. Sometimes the pacing was off, mostly due to some dramatic pauses among the actors. For the most part the characters in each sketch made him or herself unique to that sketch. This enjoyable production is appropriate for the entire family.

For example in the Pet Department sketch, McCall Doyle playing the card girl, who was intent on her task of making the cards appear smoothly while having no real idea what was going on. In a later sketch “Take Me Up Tenderly” the character was more in tune with the world around her, but felt very much like a cheerleader rooting for the struggling artist played by Steven Rice. Deb Crawford seemed to play the angry wife well in the Sketch “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” with Ted Ballard as the wise, but unappreciated, Walter Mitty. One scene that seemed to go a bit too long was “File and Forget” that was performed early in the second act. There were some pacing issues and it seemed to drag.

The set for A Thurber Carnival was simple, composed of a raised platform bordered with flats showing some of Thurber’s cartoons. The cartoons were drawn in black ink with a white background. The Set Designer was the show’s director, Scott Bailey. All of the props including chairs, a dog, and a car were brought on and off the stage fairly quickly and smoothly. The Properties and Set Dressing were done by Heather Plank and Amy Thompson.

The costume style varied with each sketch. Sometimes they were colorful, such as “The World at the Door.” And “If Grant Had Been Drinking at Appomattox” the cast wore civil war uniforms, complete with sword. The opening and closing scenes all of the actors were in black and white cocktail attire. It helped set a mood of escapism and enjoyment. The Costume Desiner was Valerie Nelson.

A Thurber Carnival ran two hours and twenty minutes with one intermission. It is playing through November 22, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 at the Keller Theater in Manassas, Virginia.

Once you’ve seen the show, please feel free to leave a comment here on our website at ShowBiz Radio.net. We’d also like to invite you to join our free mailing list so you can stay informed with theater events in the DC Region.

And now, on with the show.

Cast

• Mark Yeager
• Heather Plank
• Ted Ballard
• Deb Crawford
• Steven Rice
• Dell Prendergrast
• McCall Doyle
• Cassandra Newman
• Scott Bailey
• Amy Thompson

Crew

• Director: Scott Bailey
• Stage Manager: Sallie Willows
• Set Design: Scott Bailey
• Set Painting: Dawn Parker, Amy Thompson
• Costume Design: Valerie Nelson
• Properties/Set Dressing: Heather Plank, Amy Thompson
• Accompanist: Sandy Bayles
• Light Design: Scott Bailey
• Lighting/Sound Board Operator: Sallie Willows
• Publicity: Anne Ridgeway
• Graphic Design: Louise Noakes
• Program: Kim Love

• A Thurber Carnival
• Proof

Dates and auditions have not been announced yet. Schedule is subject to change due to performance rights conflicts or other issues.

Laura: This is the ShowBizRadio review of That Championship Season, performed by Rooftop Productions, in Manassas, Virginia. Mike and I saw the performance on opening night, Friday March 28th, 2008.

Mike: This show was about a championship team reunion. It turned out that all the people on the team were a bunch of losers.

Laura: This was a pretty intense show. The second act did go a little bit long. Nothing ever really got resolved, which was kind of a tragedy.

Mike: That Championship Season is a play by Jason Miller. The play spans an evening in which former basketball players come to the home of their high school coach for a 20 year reunion. Their championship was supposed to launch them all into a life of success and achievement, but as the evening unfolds it is clear that the decades have not been kind to them. One is a corrupt politician. Another is a ruthless businesman. A third is killing himself with alchohol, and a fourth is drifting from failure to failure. Presiding over it all is the former coach, a bitter and angry man consumed with prejudice and cynicism.

Laura: I felt with this show that I was in a locker room. The language was pretty intense, there was a lot of shouting going on. In the beginning the actors were almost overly polite around each other trying to rekindle the good old days. As the evening wore on the gauntlet was thrown down and the anger and hidden feelings came out. It got pretty intense.

Mike: I don’t want to make it sound like I did not enjoy this show. It was a good show and very well performed. The show itself was a bit depressing. You realize that these championship players from this high school basketball team from years ago haven’t done anything with their lives that really makes them better people. They are just kind of coasting through. For example, Phil late in the show talks about what he is going to do on Friday nights and this shows the hopelessness that is in his life. I think all of the performers in this show showed that hopelessness. By the end of the show they very much knew that they were not doing anything and would not do anything productive.

Laura: The four players on the team who came back for the reunion were George (played by Scott Bailey), Tom (played by John Bordeaux), Phil (played by Matt Jordan), and James (played by Allen McRae). All of them performed very well. They were all angry. Although at the beginning of the play they tiptoed around each other with polite pleasantries, not wanting to get into the heart of the matter. As the evening wore on and the alcohol got absorbed, the masks came off and you saw that they were actually angry men who were not happy with their lives.

Mike: Their coach was played by Mark Yeager. He was such a bitter man. However the players looked up to him and he was such an important part of their adolescence, they were willing to overlook it. They did start to realize at the end that he was just a man and he could make mistakes. I don’t think they really realized how much they were under his control and power. He was the man behind the curtain pulling their strings. He also had that false bravado of being as fit as he ever was and doing pushups on the floor in the living room. Later as he tried to keep up his boisterous activity something happened and he was put in his place. All the guys realized that he was not looking that good. I think they all reacted very well to what was going on. The intensity was pretty high throughout most of the evening. I didn’t like that there wasn’t a chance to catch your breath. It felt like the actions and revelations kept coming faster and faster.

Laura: The set for That Championship Season was a basic set designed by Lisa Anne Bailey. Because it was a character driven show, there was just enough stuff on stage to let you know that you were in the living room of the coach’s home. The majority of the action on stage was amongst the different characters. There was a sofa and some chairs and a couple different exits leading to the kitchen, the bedrooms and the front door.

Mike: Do be aware there was a lot of adult language in the show. It’s not a show for children to see. There are also a lot of adult situations as well.

Laura: That Championship Season is playing through April 12, Fridays and Saturdays at 8, at the Kellar Theater at the Candy Factory in Manassas, Virginia. The show lasted approximately two hours and ten minutes with one intermission.

Mike: We did an interview a few weeks ago with Scott Bailey and talked about Rooftop Productions and a little bit about this production.

Laura: And now, on with the show.

Cast

• George: Scott Bailey
• Tom: John Bordeaux
• Phil: Matt Jordan
• James: Allen McRae
• Coach: Mark Yeager

Crew

• Director: Lisa Bailey
• Stage Manager: Christine Lowry
• Set Design: Lisa Anne Bailey
• Lighting Design: Scott Bailey
• Properties/Set Dressing: Lisa Bailey & Scott Bailey
• Sound Design: Scott Bailey/John Bordeaux
• Producer: Scott Bailey
• Theatre Arts Director: Anne Ridgway
• Graphic Design: Louise Noakes
• Program: Kim Love

Mike: This is Mike Clark with ShowBizRadio and I am talking to Scott Bailey, the Artistic Director for Rooftop Productions in Manassas. Thank you for talking with me today, Scott.

Scott: Sure thing, Mike.

Mike: So, tell us a little bit about the history of Rooftop Productions.

Scott: About five or six years ago the city council in Manassas decided that we should have a performing arts space within the city limits of Manassas that was a little more accessible to the public. We have one, The Cramer Center, that already had a fair number of activities in it. So the center got a renovated warehouse space and the third floor of that was made into a flexible theater staging space. And to take advantage of that space the Center founded Rooftop Productions.

Mike: So is the center actually a part of the City of Manassas?

Scott: It’s an independent non-profit agency. It has an excellent working relationship with both the city and the county of Prince William. The overall goal for the Center For the Arts is education and performance, generally dealing with children and teens. They thought it would be a good idea to try and diversify into a more adult theatrical center. And that was one of the main purposes for bringing Rooftop into being.

Mike: Isn’t there a lot of artwork hanging on the walls at the Center For The Arts?

Scott: The first floor is an art gallery, usually featuring local artists, both professional and amatuer. The second floor is classroom space and the administrative area. The artwork there is of a much more child friendly genre, usually produced by the children themselves and the classes and things like that. Almost like an elementary school hallway. Then the third floor we have the occasional exhibit up there in the lobby area and not generally in the theater space itself, although it’s possible to have it up there, too.

Mike: How did you get involved with Rooftop?

Scott: I’ve been working with the Center For The Arts for about twelve or fifteen years. I was directing some of the children’s productions. Sally Lay, who is the executive director of the Center, and I had been talking for awhile about trying to expand it into an adult setting. When the opportunity came she told me about it and we came and worked out some of the logistics about getting Rooftop into being and utilizing that space and the scheduling. So Sally was sort of the driving force behind everything. I tagged onto her shirttails and went a long for the ride.

Mike: So what types of productions are usually done at Rooftop Productions?

Scott: We do two productions a year, generally smaller ensemble type pieces. We try and do one musical offering and one non musical offering. We haven’t really had an over arching theme. We’ve done everything from You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown to A, My Name is Alice to Quilters in the musical genre. We’ve done things ranging from Blithe Spirit to The Glass Menagerie to Come Back To the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean in the non musical. We try to do a fair mix of the heavier drama and some comedy. We try and focus especially with the non musical plays on pieces that several people would have heard about before, but particularly in the Manassas area not have seen staged. We work on that philosophy of just trying to bring, I wouldn’t necesarily say classics, but pieces that are not as well known as some of the others and giving them a chance for a second look.

Mike: Is that how you ended up with That Championship Season?

Scott: Yes. I had read the play a number of years ago. I’ve seen the two movie versions that were done with it. We were discusing it with the director actually, Lisa Anne Bailey. She decided that was a play that she would like to try her hand at. She has directed several other groups in the area. That gave me a chance to audition for it as opposed to directing it which I normally do. That worked out for both of us pretty well.

Mike: Did you see the production of That Championship Season that was performed at American Century Theatre?

Scott: We followed it pretty closely in the press, but I was not able to get up there myself and view it in person.

Mike: I know I’ve heard a couple people backstage as we’re out and about That Championship Season is coming out to Manassas. So there are definitely people talking about it.

Scott: That’s great.

Mike: We’ve seen you in several different shows. We saw you in Charlie Brown. You were Snoopy.

Scott: That’s right.

Mike: And a couple different shows at Elden Street. So you get around.

Scott: I travel a bit. That’s the good thing about Rooftop. One of the things we try to emphasize when we first try to bring it into being was by doing only two shows a year, and not having a core active board of directors as many of the other theater groups do, people who participate in our shows are a little freer to go elsewhere once that show is done. The Center has a Board of Directors of course, as far as the theater itself, they are virtually hands off in dealing with the Center over all. We don’t have president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, directors, and a play committee that are directly with Rooftoop. It’s a very small operation from that standpoint. It allows the actors and me to not have to dedicate ourselves full time to this one venue.

Mike: Does that make it easier too for the budget?

Scott: Absolutely. One of the things that the advantage of Rooftop is, one of the difficulties of the space. I really like the space because it is so flexible and the city did a really great job of refurbishing the wood. The brick is exposed, you have the old beams and the tin ceiling. Just walking into the space it’s a pleasent looking space. Because there is no set stage we can do and have, everything from shows in the round, 3/4 thrust, a traditional proscenium, having stations throughout the auditorium. We are only limited by what we can think of there. The difficulty is because of that and because it is run through the museum part of the city, you can’t build traditional flats and build braces and hang things like you might in a larger space or a more contained space. As a result, our sets tend to be virtually non existent other than some level changes and some furniture. We rarely use flats or try to recreate an actual room or anything of that nature. It’s much more representational as opposed to presentational.

Mike: Do you prefer to be on stage or backstage?

Scott: When I’m on stage I prefer to be directing and when I’m directing I think I prefer to be on stage. I keep ping ponging back and forth between the two.

Mike: Is there a certain show you would love to be in?

Scott: I’ve actually been in two different productions of The Lion in Winter as two different roles. I really really enjoy that show tremendously. I did Virginia Woolf a number of years ago and I would like the opportunity now that I’m a little more of that age to try that again with a bit more seasoning under my belt.

Mike: Is there anything else we should chat about regarding Rooftop or the upcoming season? That Championship Season opens in late March.

Scott: It opens March 28th. Again because we do not have a core we have five excellent male actors. One from the Fredericksburg/Stafford area, two from here in Manassas, one from Lorton, and one from Fairfax so we cast a pretty wide net to get some pretty top notch actors for this one.

Mike: The next show will be next Fall, correct?

Scott: Yes, that will be the weekend after Halloween. We have not actually picked the next season, but ours are always the end of October, beginning of November and then the end of March beginning of April. Those are our general time areas.

Mike: Well, thank you very much for talking with me. I do appreciate it.

Scott: Yes, sir. I appreciate your interest.

The WATCH Awards ceremony for the 2007 Calendar year will take place at the Birchmere in Alexandria at 7:00 on March 2. Tickets are $15.50, available from the Birchmere Ticket Office, or Ticketmaster.com (additional fees apply). Last year, the event sold out, so purchase tickets now.

Laura: We saw the opening night performance of Rooftop Productions and their performance of Same Time, Next Year in Manassas, Virginia.

Mike: Same Time, Next Year follows a married couple who are having an affair. The couple meets together at the same inn once a year for 25 years. Throughout the show we see them every 4 or 5 years as they learn more about their relationships with their spouses and each other.

Laura: I thought this was a good show. I enjoyed it. I thought the two cast members, John Bordeaux and Lisa Anne Bailey did a very good job. Not a lot of action, it was more getting to know each other and themselves over the 25 years they had their affair.

Mike: I enjoyed the show, there was some laughs throughout, there were some serious points. It did strike me that they were like a married couple. There were fights even though they only saw each other one day a year. It was an interesting show.

Laura: Lisa Anne Bailey played the role of Doris. She did a very good job. I really liked watching her throughout the years. She went from kind of the insecure flighty almost ditzy at the beginning. To the free spirit, to the more polished mature woman. I like her. Probably my favorite scene was when she was more of the hippy. I guess that was 1965. She came in and was this free spirit. The final scene, I thought was real touching.

Mike: This is one of those shows you probably can’t see twice. A lot of the impact of the show comes from the surprise of seeing how each of the two people’s lives have change over the years. It did feel like she went through much more of a change than he went through. However they both changed over time. There was one point where they kind of crossed each other. One became more conservative and one became more liberal. That was kind of interesting.

John Bordeaux played George. He was neurotic and I think he hit that pretty well. The craziness that he felt at the very beginning of the show when he realized, “Oh my gosh. I just had an affair.” It was a really funny scene and it kind of set the tone for his mood swings for the rest of the show from one extreme to the other.

Laura: The set was also very nice. It was kind of a theater in the rectangle. There were seats on three sides and then you had a stage in the middle. This was at an inn so you had a bed and a dressing table area. One nice touch was that the stage managers were very good about bringing out pictures that reflected the president at the time. I thought that was a really nice touch. The Stage Manager was Christine Lowry.

Mike: One funny thing was the bed that was set up in the room was on a platform up two or three feet. The bedside table on Doris’ side of the bed almost got knocked off twice. That was right next to where we were sitting. She caught it both times. I really wanted to go back and see if she caught it every time. Hopefully they’ll be able to attach that so that it doesn’t go over.

Laura: The costumes were also very nicely done. They were time period appropriate, especially in the 1965 scene. Doris came in wearing blue jeans and kind of a fringed leather jacket. I thought it was hippy looking. He was wearing more of the suit. Then in the next scene she was more conservatively dressed and he was wearing the blue jeans and the blue long sleeved shirt. I thought it was interesting.

Mike: I think John Bordeaux and Lisa Anne Bailey did a fine job with their roles. They did appear to have a spark between them. There were a few scenes where that were strained a bit. I think they worked well together on this show.

Laura: They did appear like friends who grew up together, almost like next door neighbors.

Mike: Same Time, Next Year is playing on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM through April 7th at the Kellar Theater at the Candy Factory in Manassas, Virginia.

Laura: And now, on with the show.

Cast

• George: John Bordeaux
• Doris: Lisa Anne Bailey

Crew

• Director: Scott Bailey
• Stage Manager: Christine Lowry
• Assistant Director: Lesley Wepplo
• Executive Producer: Anne Ridgway