North Riverside, IL (September, 2004) – Move over Broadway
musicals. Make room for the stage play that will have you
rolling in the aisles. The North Riverside Recreation Community
Theater is performing Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo – a
hilarious comedy that starred Carol Burnett in the 1995 Broadway
production.
A
backstage farce, the show features a second rate theatrical
troupe’s desperate efforts to make it big. After learning that
an Oscar winning director is considering their troupe for a
Hollywood film, the company attempts to make a successful
impression using their incredible range of talents. Madness
ensues, with flaring tempers, petty jealousies and past
indiscretions revealed. Top that off with a surprise twist
ending, and the audience is left gasping with laughter.
The ensemble cast features eight actors from throughout the
Chicagoland area. While several of the actors are NRRCT
veterans, others, like Oak Park actor Rachel Urbanowicz, came to
audition because they knew about the show. “I have always
enjoyed comedic roles, and playing Charlotte Hay is a wonderful
opportunity,” Urbanowicz said. “The script is absolutely
hilarious, and our theatrical ensemble, including the actors,
director, and other behind-the-scenes folks, work extremely well
together. That kind of behind-the-scenes synchronicity is rare,
and the audience benefits greatly from that when the curtain
goes up.”
Also new to the North Riverside theater company is director John
Nasca. “I’ve always thought this show is hysterically funny, and
I’m excited to take part in a production of it,” he said.
“Because the show is about the backstage happenings of a
theatrical troupe, it’s not much of a stretch for me to direct.
I’ve worked with similar people in countless productions. Of
course, being a comedy, the characters in the play are
magnified, but you’d be surprised how to close to reality they
are!”
“Doing a farce,
I believe, is the most difficult genre to do,” said Chicago
actor David Besky. Besky, who plays George Hay, says his
inspiration comes from years of watching pros like Carol
Burnett, John Ritter and Lucille Ball. “Your timing has to be
dead on. Our production is even more physical than the Broadway
production. I've got the bruises to prove it.”
Nasca’s delighted with the cast. “This group has great
instincts, which makes my job much easier. I can just sit back
and watch them grow and create. I'm very excited to be able to
watch this process and, come opening night, to be proud and
honored that I was able to direct this great company.”
The ensemble members include several returning NRRCT players:
Jan Vitt and Bobby Dietz from Berwyn and Katie Monahan from
Woodridge. Newcomers include David Besky and Jordan Greenberg
from Chicago, Rachel Urbanowicz and Elizabeth Macik from Oak
Park, and Patrick Feeney from Park Ridge.
Moon Over Buffalo opens on Friday, October 1st
and continues through Sunday, October 10th at the
North Riverside Village Commons located at 2401 S. Des Plaines
Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois. Evening performances will be
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm. Ticket
prices are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students with ID,
and $6 for children under 12. Group discounts are available. For
tickets, call Terri at 708-447-1297.
The North Riverside Recreation Community Theater (www.nrrct.com)
is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1989 with the goal
of expanding appreciation of the arts by presenting quality
theater at affordable prices. Since its inception, the group
has produced 23 shows, ranging from time-honored classics such
as Hello, Dolly! and The Music Man, to
modern shows such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat and Little Shop of Horrors, to six original
scripts written by NRRCT members.
