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The Playboy of the Western World by New Village Arts  Being lonely can be tragic, but when Christy Mahon becomes
the unlikely playboy of the western world, he may find out that being famous
might be a lot worse. Christy discovers the fickleness of fame in a small town
in Ireland in 1907, the setting of John Millington Synge’s dark comedy. And the
always-talented team at New Village Arts brings rural Ireland to Carlsbad with
their strong performances and thick rural Irish accents.Joshua Everett Johnson is a likeable, unassuming, and amusing young Christy who lived his life browbeaten by his father who didn’t consider his son to be manly enough. When his fortune suddenly changes thanks to his macho murder of his father, he doesn’t quite know what to do. But he’s pretty sure he likes the attentions he’s getting from the women of the new village he stops in. The young ladies of the town (Rachael VanWormer, Aurora Rupert, Monique Fleming, and Grace Delaney) swoon over his every word (which includes countless retellings of how he killed his father). But the real battle rages between the scheming Widow Quin (a conniving but truly lonely Kristianne Kurner) and the sassy bartender who discovers him, Pegeen Mike, with Jessica John turning in a standout performance filled with feistiness, jealousy, humor, and hidden vulnerability. All this is much to the chagrin of Shawn Keogh who is trying to marry her, with Brandon Walker as Pegeen’s pathetically but amusingly awkward and whiney suitor. Then there’s the one other character who isn’t especially keen on Christy. His dead father who, it turns out, was only mostly dead. And he’s close on Christy’s heels, with Francis Gercke transforming himself into the gruff, hearty old man who will shape a real man out of his son if it kills him. Francis also directs this production with his wife Kristianne Kurner, putting together an entertaining and surprisingly poignant show and bringing together an impressive cast and crew. Kristianne is also part of the crew as scenic designer who creates the cozy, rustic pub with help from Properties Designer Pat Hansen, while Costume Designer Michelle Hunt wraps up the crew in genuine-looking garb and Dialect Coach Grace Delaney helps maintain the genuineness of the language. That language can be hard, or impossible, to always catch the words, but you’ll get enough to follow the tale. Some of the words you might not get even if they weren’t accented, but there’s a handy glossary within the program (a program that, of course, has a green cover). The run ends April 1, so see it now before the cast and their banbhs mitch off over the cnuceen!Performs through April 1, 2006. ~ Cast ~
Pegeen Mike: Jessica John Shawn Keogh: Brandon Walker Michael James Flaherty: Tim West Jimmy Farrell: Pat Moran Philly Cullen: Jack Missett Christy Mahon: Joshua Everett Johnson Widow Quin: Kristianne Kurner Susan Brady: Rachael VanWormer Nelly: Aurora RuPert Honor Blake: Monique Fleming Sara Tansey: Grace Delaney Old Mahon: Francis Gercke Director: Francis Gercke and Kristianne Kurner Scenic Design: Kristianne Kurner Lighting Design: Eric Lotze Sound Design: Joshua Everett Johnson Costume Design: Michelle Hunt Properties Design: Pat Hansen Stage Manager: Brian Meagher |