Well, it’s Opening Night for me. Again. Such is the life of a theatre geek. Tonight we open a complex show called…
I play the mother of an autistic boy as a broken family tries to find its own rhythm in the chaos. “The play is based on 2003 novel by Mark Haddon, and adapted by Simon Stephens, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME follows the story of Christopher Boone, a 15-year old math savant who talks in loud declamatory sentences, doesn’t do chat, and can’t stand to be touched. When he discovers one night that his neighbor’s dog has been murdered, Christopher sets out to solve the crime, embarking on an exciting journey that will change his world forever. It won five Tony Awards in 2015, including Best Play.
Robbie Carroll takes on the lead role of Christopher Boone. Giz Coughlin plays his beloved teacher Siobhan. Christopher’s parents, Judy and Ed, are played by Danielle Bannister and Jason Bannister. Rounding out the cast are Eric Sanders, Peter Conant, Beverly Mann, Monicque Deschamps, and Sarah Joy, who each take on multiple roles. Suzanne Ramczyk directs the production. Performances run April 26-May 5 at the The Crosby Center in Belfast.”
For those who won’t get a chance to see it (and heck, even if you do) here are a few shots to share!
This is a shot of the stage, which you can’t quite tell, but there is a rake (incline) which means we actors have to act on a small hill essentially. This is done because the audience chairs are on a flat floor. One of the two needs to be at an angle for the best sight lines so, they built the set to go in a rake. Talk about a LOT of work. This massive beast was put up in one day! There is a steeper upper rake in the back which is oh so scary to be on. There are two projection screens as well on either sides of the stage. No small feat.
This is an emotional rollercoaster and an out of the box type of production. If you’re in the Waldo County, Maine Area, you should come see it! You can find out more at
https://www.midcoastactors.org/
Now I’m off to go run those lines one last time…
Danielle Bannister, Author 