Fun in a stranger's bedroom
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It may be the most fun you will ever have in someone else’s bedroom! You can do with without even getting in trouble: all you have to do is show up for Theatre Tillsonburg’s next production Bedtime Stories, written by Canada’s own Norm Foster.
There are six different scenes, all of which feature a bed and like all good bedroom comedies, they talk a lot and you laugh a lot, but you don’t ever get to see any mattress gymnastics. Now, this not the show to bring the kids to because it is about adult situations as you will note in the following synopsis.
The first snapshot of life entails a situation where a ‘shock’ radio jock, Eddie ‘Nighthawk’ Nichols, (played by Paul Buchner), who likes to literally shock his audience, arranges to pay a couple $5,000 to make love on the air.
Remember this is radio, not television. The couple, Lou and Betsy Ballantyne (Mark (The Original) Smith and Janet Orr), go to a hotel room to do the deed.
The second is a poignant snapshot which occurs when a woman visits the bedroom of a dying man she feels she hurt years ago in high school. Derek Baumgarden is played by Ross Hepburn and Susan Upchurch by Rita Weiler. You have to love the character’s last names in this one!
The third scene takes place in a rich man’s bedroom where two men are robbing a house. They discover a shocking secret and have some unexpected bonding time. Nick and Davey, the two break-in experts are played by Pete Matthews and Mark Smith.
The second act gives us three more vignettes. The next one takes place in a hotel room where the now aging shock rock star, Tommy Quick, (Paul Buchner), is confronted by one of his devoted fans, Melody Ballantyne, (played by Hailey McAra). Now wait a minute… isn’t the Ballantyne name familiar. Hmmm...
The fifth snapshot promises to be the most hilarious, when an accident-prone but very eager exotic dancer, Sandy (Rita Weiler) meets with her no-nonsense boss Charlie, (Ross Hepburn) who is trying to fire her.
The last scene takes place in the bedroom of Laura Nichols (Martha Fraser), a woman who is moving out of the marital house and leaving her husband Eddie (Paul Buchner). She lectures the movers on the proper way to treat a lady. Movers Steve and Jerry (Pete Matthews and Till Wells) and Yolanda (Val Donnell) round out the characters in this snapshot.
Now wait a minute….isn’t Eddie Nichols the radio Shock Jock from the first story? Very interesting and pretty much guaranteed to be very funny.
The leaders of these crazy Bedtime Stories are Director Sandra Andrews and Producer Jennifer Jenney. I am quite sure with the cast of this show, that they have had their beds - I mean hands - full!
Six different scenes on stage with a stationary set keep the crew very busy. They will be under the watchful eyes and perhaps whip of Melanie Watts, Stage Manager, who was also the director’s assistant, so she knows what they are supposed to be doing on stage.
Getting the cast out there and look proper for their characters are Shelia Tripp in costumes and Tracy Moxon and Jennifer Jull in make up. Making this versatile set was Ron and Janet McLeod and Bob Andrews and making it pretty was Anne Corcoran. Changing of props to make it look like six different bedrooms has been organized by Pat Linn. To light the stage, just so you could see, was Peter Beechey and Melanie Watts who will also be up there pushing the buttons. Richard Tilleman provides you with doorbells, telephone rings and assorted other necessary sound effects.
Now, the best way to experience and evening of heavy laughing is on a full stomach, so you might want to take advantage of our dinner theatre partner Mill Tales Inn. Thirty-seven dollars will get you dinner and a show.
It is always fun after a show to have the opportunity to meet and greet or grill the cast and crew on the show, so we will be offering our opening night meet and greet once again with refreshments for you and special snacks thanks to Kelsey’s Restaurant.
It is time to get your tickets for the show which runs Feb 7-10 and 14-17 with show times 8 p.m. with the exception of Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for Students/Seniors and $17 for Adults. Tickets are available by calling the Theatre Box Office at (519) 688-3026 or our partners at the Station Arts Center 519-842-6151. They are centrally-located in historic downtown Tillsonburg at 41 Bridge Street and are Theatre Tillsonburg’s exclusive Box Office location.
The Station Arts Center is open year round. Tickets may be purchased or picked up, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. October to April; and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. May-September.
See you there!