Return to Archived Stories

The plan was to hold the play late in the year, in the hopes that the new auditorium would be ready to use, but - barring a miracle - that won't happen. Instead, the senior high production of this Larry Shue play will have to be held on the stage in the elementary school gymnasium.

The ten-person cast has been practicing four days per week since the end of April on the mistaken-identity, clash-of-cultures comedy. The story is set in a rural Georgian lodge, where an English intelligence officer, Froggy (Sami Tierney), takes her American friend, Charlene (Becca Gardner).

Charlene is mistaken for a foreigner, leading to comic situations ...and to her thwarting a plot by the Ku Klux Klan. "I think we have a really strong cast," said Ken Vork, the director. "I did (this play) ten years ago, and that cast was good, but this one really meshes well."

That closeness should help their performance, Vork thinks. "Because of the camaraderie, there's a freedom to explore the comedic side of your character. Through improvisation, it's possible to discover the fun side of your character," he explained.

"There are some real hoots there," he added. "There are going to be strong performances by the whole cast, but some are especially funny."

Vork did some alterations to the cast for this version. Both the parts of Charlene and Froggy were originally intended to be male parts. Vork also took the innkeeper's role and divided it into a couple, Bill and Betty Meeks (Adam Ingalsbe and Jenna Berry). "I've never enjoyed myself as much in rehearsals as I have with this cast," he said.

The performance will feature one intermission and will be slightly under two hours in length. "The Foreigner"
Performances are Thursday, June 7, and Friday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m. on the stage in the elementary gym (barring a miracle that will have the new auditorium ready by then.)
Cast of characters
In Order of Appearance
Charlene....................Becca Gardner
Froggy...................Sami Tierney
Bill Meeks...................Adam Ingalsbe
Betty Meeks...................Jenna Berry
Rev. David Marshall Lee...................Scott Ingalsbe
Catherine Sims...................Trista Dukowitz
Ellard Sims...................Cody Wiig
Owen Musser...................Ryan Flanders
Townspeople...................Suzy Swyter and ...................Maureen Flanders
Director...................Ken Vork