SUN CITY – With a mix of humor and heart, the Theater Company of Sun City’s upcoming production of Michael McKeever’s “37 Postcards” asks a startling question: can you truly return to home as you know it?
Sun City’s second annual straight play – as opposed its usual two musicals per year – tells the story of Avery, who returns to his hometown with his fiancé after years of living away, according to the show’s producer and the actor behind Avery, Dick Storer. Avery discovers that things have changed in unexpected ways: his house is starting to tilt and his grandmother is still alive, to name a few.
Dick Storer as, “37 Postcards'” Avery Sutton, rehearses with Debra DeMarco, who plays Ester. (Photo by Chris LaPelusa/Sun Day)
“It’s a very funny play. There’s a line that says you can never really go home. One of my favorite parts of the play explains that you can go home, but you may not want to,” said Storer.
Details
When: July 23, 24, and 25 at 7pm
Where: Drendel Hall
Tickets: $10
According to director John Scott, the performance will feature an array of elements that make it a unique experience for the cast and the audience, one of them being canine cast members. The auditions for the two male and four female roles also called for furry friends.
“We held dog auditions as well. In fact, we’re going to have different dogs on different nights, and it’s a really fun part of the show,” he said, revealing that both dogs cast (Bouncer and Charlie) belong to members of the Theater Company.
Another rare occurrence, particularly for this cast, is the role of a 97-year old grandmother.
“This is the first time we have one of the actors playing a character that is older than the actor. The makeup artist actually has to make the actor look older. Usually, she has to make them look younger,” said Scott.
Not only does the cast contain a few twists, but the stage itself it will also be physically off-kilter, according to Storer.
“The stage will be at an angle, and there will be a back wall set at an angle, too. There will also be some pictures that are crooked and stuff like that,” he said, explaining that the purpose of the angling becomes clear during the show.
This combination of symbolism and comedy works well, according to Storer, who said the cast works remarkably well with each other.
“We’ve been reading the script for about a month and we still laugh at some of the lines that come across,” he said.
Scott added that while the play has a plethora of laughs, there is still depth to the script.
“There’s a lot of laughs and there’s some real touching moments,” he said. “It’s a little bit of yin and yang.”
