Arts Resources for the Tri-State will present Neil Simon's I Ought to Be in Pictures Oct. 2, 3, 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 4 and 11 at 3 p.m. at the Renaissance Theater (the old Huntington High School).
Here's the press release with more info:
ARTS is pleased to stage this comedic drama by one of America's most beloved playwrights, Neil Simon. He is the author of over 30 plays including Come Blow Your Horn, Barefoot in the Park and The Odd Couple.
Libby Tucker is a 19-year-old girl from Brooklyn who has virtually raised herself and is ready to confront her father Herb who she hasn't seen since she was 3. She hitchhikes to California to face her father and to jumpstart her career in the movies. Thrown for a loop, Herb tries to balance his life between his now grown up daughter, his failing screen writing career, and a relationship with his girlfriend Steffy.
The New York Post has called I Ought to Be in Pictures, "Terrific... sweet, dandy and touching... a mature, memorable play that brings joy to the season" and WCBS-TV2 reviews stated it was "A finely tuned theatrical blend of hilarity, honesty, directly and deeply felt emotion. Go."
The cast for ARTS production is Alissa Fetherolf as Libby Tucker, Clint McElroy as Herb Tucker, and Leann Haines as Steffy Blondell. This show will be the directing debut for Stephen Vance. The producers for the show are Jeanette Bills and Amy Knell.
All performances will be held at The Renaissance Center (Old Huntington High School), 900 East 8th Street in Huntington, WV. Show tickets will be $15 per person. For Reservations Please Call 304-733-2787. Tickets will also be available at the door. For more information, visit the ARTS website.
The Cast:
Alissa Fetherolf is an 18-year-old freshman at MCTC. Alissa has appeared in several major roles locally, such as Tiger Lily in First Stage’s production of Peter Pan and Natalie in HHS’s production of All Shook Up. In addition to her work on stage, Alissa won the American Legion’s State Oratorical Contest and competed in the national competition. This summer she had a featured role in a short film that will be debuting in October at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Characterized by hard work and transparent sincerity, Alissa has continued to succeed both on stage and off. In this show, audiences will see why she has achieved so much already.
Clint McElroy is no stranger to theatre audiences of the area. Having performed in over 20 productions, he has of late starred as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, and most recently as Father in Children of Eden. More than just a performer, Clint has gone out of his way to make sure that many could have the same opportunities on stage that he has had. He has served on the board of directors for First Stage, directed, produced and even written several plays. Because of his contributions to both local theatre and to the community, Clint will be inducted to the Greater Huntington Wall of Fame this October. It has been over a year and half since Clint’s last performance on stage, and it seems that this role at this time is a perfect fit.
Leann Haines, a Parkersburg native, is a science teacher at Huntington Middle. Most recently she assistant directed First Stage’s Charlotte’s Web. She has assistant directed and stage managed many area productions, however her work is not limited to behind the scenes. Locally, she has appeared in productions of Nunsense, Inspecting Carol and Godspell just to name a few. Passionate about good characters and a good script, Leann jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this show. The depth and honesty she brings to every role fits perfectly with the character that Neil Simon has created.
The Director
When he first got involved in theatre just over 5 years ago, Stephen Vance had no idea how quickly and how deeply he would be affected by it. First and foremost a fan of all things community theatre, he started hanging around at HOT’s Footloose until he was put to work. He had seen several HOT shows but didn’t know how to get involved until his sister, who was assistant directing the show, suggested he just show up and volunteer. Well, he did and since that time he has acted in, assistant directed, and worked tech in over 25 shows. Stephen’s first show on stage was HOT’s Thoroughly Modern Millie. His first major role came a year later when he played Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! He has assistant directed several shows at Huntington High School including the state award winning I Never Saw Another Butterfly.
Stephen considers himself a student of theatre, attempting to learn in each and every capacity he has served. He has had the privilege of training with some of the area’s great directors, including: Danny Ray, Helen Freeman and Bruce Rous. Stephen’s goal in community theatre is to help carry on what his hardworking and talented predecessors have been doing for years: putting on great shows with great casts for local audiences to enjoy. To him, that means working hard and providing great shows for the community whether he is on or off stage.
Not a Musical?
Although theatre is often though of as huge musicals with elaborate costumes and dance numbers, there is a need for straight plays as well. Few are staged at a community level in this area, not because of the lack of material or talent, but because of just the opposite, the musicals often provide more opportunities for more performers at one time. However, there is no denying the charm of a well-told story with real people, real problems, and real humor. The ARTS production of I Ought to Be in Pictures is the first adult non-musical to be staged in Huntington community theatre in nearly a year. Each member of the cast and the director are huge fans of musical theatre, but they are glad to see that non-musical shows have a place on local stage too.
Director Stephen Vance has this to say about the show, “Its strength lies in the storyline that Neil Simon has created. It is a real story about things that really happen. The humor isn’t forced or farcical, it’s real. The brilliant thing about this show is that it has characters that the audience will love. You will find yourself caring about what happens to everyone in the show, in fact, you will find parts of who you are wrapped up in these characters. The cast has done a remarkable job of taking this script and making it live. There is no need for a tap solo or fire batons here. The life of the show is the thing.”
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