What happens when an aspiring teacher turns up in an 1890s Ukrainian village that is trapped in a 200-year-old curse? Love, foolishness, and hijinks.
A fun way to start the holidays in Pine Plains, perhaps after helping out on town decorating day, is to head over to the high school on Dec. 1, 2 or 3 to check out the fall play, Neil Simon’s Fools, with a cast of 10 students. This year, the Stissing Theatre Guild, which has been collaborating with The Stissing Center by presenting the fall play at that venue for the past three years, is presenting it at the high school instead.
Of some concern is that the refurbished auditorium holds at least 500 people—a number of seats often filled for the musicals, which have much larger casts. Fools, while a comedy, may not attract as many family and friends. Yet, as director Greg Locker said: “Whether there are 30 people in the audience or 300, it’s all part of the process. You perform the same show.”
Locker, who has been teaching English and theatre at the high school for fifteen years, started directing a fall play in 2018, when the Stissing Theatre Guild and The Stissing Center began collaborating as a joint venture. This year’s choice, a comedy by popular playwright Neil Simon, was selected to appeal to a wider audience than some of the previous fall plays. “We’ve been having a lot of fun. It’s a great opportunity for kids who don’t see themselves as singers and dancers to perform in a beautiful space,” Locker said.
“The play speaks to the foolishness in the world,” according to Locker. “The villagers are under a spell and can’t—or won’t– wake up. It gives us an opportunity for slapstick, because of the fractured fairy tale aspect to the story,” he pointed out. “There is nothing offensive about it—it’s a nice silly story.” The sound score will feature music by the Ukrainian folk band Korinya.
Eight members of the cast and crew of Fools are seniors. Several cast members have also performed in previous plays or musicals, and one senior, James King, who operated the light board for the plays at The Stissing Center, is performing onstage for the first time, as Count Grigor. Logan Cavey, who was Sam in Mamma Mia! and plays Dr. Zubitsky in Fools, said that this group “is more close-knit (than in the musical). Better chemistry comes from that.” Likewise, Brianna Blackburn, who played Wednesday in The Adams Family two years ago and plays Claire in Fools said she’s “closer with these people.” Lee Griffin, who has performed in musicals since third grade and plays Slovitch, the butcher, in Fools said, “I really enjoy the atmosphere of this show.” Max McBride plays the lead role of schoolteacher Leon Tolchinsky.
Locker said: “It’s a fun show, a fun hour-and-a-half. Come engage in silliness.” Fools is Dec. 1, 2 and 3, Friday and Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10, $8 for students and seniors, available from stissingtheatreguild.org.