Showing Thursday through Sunday for two weeks only, Main Street Productions (MSP) is bringing live theater back to Westfield Playhouse. Squabbles will stage Thursday through Sunday from March 18 to 28 at the new Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St.
Davis
The Reporter spoke with Director Doug Davis about the story, the ways MSP is keeping both the actors and audience safe, and the opportunity to be the first live, in-person production in a year.
As the COVID-19 numbers fall and Hamilton County has moved back into the “Blue” advisory level, going to see a comedy after a long year of strict pandemic protocols seems like a welcome diversion. “Exactly!” Davis said. “That’s what we were looking for when we chose this. We have gotten to the point that we feel we could put this live on stage again instead of streaming it.”
According to Davis, in this play Jerry Sloan (played by Matt McKee) writes advertising jingles for a living. His wife, Alice Sloan (played by Sabrina Lang) is a successful lawyer. Living with them is the wife’s grumpy father, Abe. Jerry’s mother, Mildred, loses her house in a fire and needs a place to stay, but Abe and Mildred can’t stand each other. Comedy ensues.
“Dwayne Leatherman plays the grumpy father-in-law,” Davis said. “He is like a legend among actors in the Indy area. This is first time acting for me and I was just tickled to see him show up at auditions. He has one of the smoothest most velvety voices of an actor you will ever hear on stage. He has great comic timing.”
(From left) Dwayne Leatherman, Kevin Kingshill, and Susan Hill rehearse their roles in “Squabbles.” (Photo provided)
Playing across from Leatherman, as the mother-in-law, is Susan Hill. “She has done quite a few shows at Westfield for us,” Davis told The Reporter. “She is a great comic actress. The two together play so well off of each other. It is a pleasure to watch them.”
This production will have limited seating and other safety protocols.
“When people arrive at the building, they will have their temperatures taken and masks will be required,” Davis told The Reporter. “During rehearsals we have gone with the same rules. Actors have been wearing masks on stage and during practices they have had their temperatures taken. When backstage they have been doing social distancing. When we blocked, we kept in mind social distancing. When they come out for curtain call, they will put their masks on. For every show we ask the cast if they want to wear the plastic shields or not when on stage. This cast chose not to.”
Seating will be limited to approximately 60 audience members for each performance. Though the seats will be spaced for social distancing of the audience, chairs can be placed closer together for groups of family. Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, Westfield Playhouse will not sell any concessions or water in the lobby.
According to Davis, chairs will be covered with sheets of sanitary plastic, and as soon as the show is over, MSP will replace those covers with new ones.
“There has to be a first as the COVID lightens up a little,” Davis told The Reporter. “We are pleased to be the first theater for people to come out to live performances again. We are very happy to be bringing live theater back to Central Indiana.”
The cost for Squabbles will be $17 for adults age 18 and older, $15 for seniors age 62 and older, $15 for students with ID, and free for active military personnel and veterans with ID. Go to westfieldplayhouse.org/showstickets or call (317) 402-3341 for tickets.