Romantic musical comedy full of hidden identities, illicit meetings & runaway lamb chops
Submitted
Coming up Saturday, March 25, the latest presentation in Actors Theatre of Indiana’s (ATI) LabSeries, Belinda: An April Folly, will take place at the Carmel Clay Public Library, 425 E. Main St., Carmel. The presentation will begin at 2 p.m.
What is Belinda: An April Folly all about?
Before A. A. Milne created Winnie-the-Pooh, he wrote this deliciously comedic and romantic play which premiered on the West End in 1918. Belinda was ahead of its time, exploring the battle of the sexes set against the carefree English countryside, where lovers pine and romance renews each spring. Fast forward to 2022 where Emmy-nominated Alisa Hauser (Book Adaptation and Lyrics) and David Mallamud (Composer) once again bring Belinda to life in this new musical comedy adaptation.
The story begins in beautiful Devonshire, England, at Belinda Tremayne’s country estate. The time is April 1914. The leading lady, Belinda, an attractive woman in her early 40s, enters to try out her new hammock and contemplate her latest dilemma: should she marry the poor but romantic poet, Claude Devenish, or the wealthy but stuffy statistician, Harold Baxter?
Her daughter, Delia, arrives home from boarding school in Paris. They have a cheery reunion and Delia is brought up to date on all her mother’s romantic adventures. Betty, Belinda’s bookish maid, informs Belinda that her two suitors are waiting. Suddenly, Belinda realizes that if they knew she had a grown daughter they probably wouldn’t want to marry her, and all the fun would be over. So, they make a plan. Delia will “pretend” to be her niece, “Miss Robinson.”
Belinda then concocts a plan. Devenish and Baxter are given a quest to find Miss Robinson’s father. The victor shall win Belinda’s hand in marriage. Of course, this is impossible as Miss Robinson is fictional, but the quest will keep the men busy and make for a fun time. But what Belinda hasn’t counted on is the lost stranger who shows up at her garden gate and stirs up real feelings she’d long since forgotten.
What follows is an evening of hidden identities, illicit meetings in dark closets, and runaway lamb chops. Will Belinda really fall in love? Who is the stranger who appeared in her garden? How could Baxter possibly find Miss Robinson’s father when he doesn’t exist? Of course, being a true musical comedy, all questions are answered, mates matched, and lovers reunited in the end. Learn more about the play and creative team by visiting davidmallamud.com/belinda.
The Director of Belinda is Jeff Stockberger; Music Director, Debbie Meyers; and Stage Manager, Don Farrell*. The following is the cast: Belinda, Jill Kelly Howe; Delia, Anya Burke; Betty, Jaddy Ciucci; Devenish, Andre Garner*; Baxter, Matt Branic; and Tremayne, Pete Scarborough*. (* Denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association.)
Each season, ATI brings its LabSeries to the public. ATI launched the program because of its commitment to nurturing new plays and playwrights. Plays chosen for the LabSeries are workshopped, discussed, and developed through rehearsal with a professional cast, director (and music director in the case of new musicals). Each play or musical receives a public reading with a moderated talkback with the cast and creatives immediately following.
This presentation will be the first with new partner in the LabSeries, the Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation. With similar mission statements – to engage, inspire lifelong discovery and learning, to provide enriching social and cultural experiences and to entertain – the two organizations are hoping to reach an even broader audience through this union.
Tickets to this 2 p.m. matinee are free. You can reserve your ticket at this link. The reading and presentation of Belinda will take place in the community meeting room on the first floor of the Carmel Clay Public Library.
To check out upcoming shows and other programs, visit ATIstage.org. To learn more about the Carmel Clay Library Foundation, click here.