A forceful director, a (chiefly) level-headed producer and a frustrated stage manager face an interesting challenge: save their little community theater's future with the play reading committee's choice of "An Ideal Husband" by the immortal Oscar Wilde. Is this even a possibility?
"Rehearsals" looks in on the production two weeks before opening, one week before opening, and then shares the final results on the first night with audiences. It's safe to say many challenges arise - and some of them are met. Others ... not so much. Will the show save the theater -- or even complete an entire evening of "entertainment?"
First produced when selected from other submitted scripts for the 2019 production by Triad Playwrights Theatre, this comedy has proceeded to two further productions -- one by adults and one, by their selection, by a teen producing group.
From the second production came a slightly alternative version that adds one actor and lightens the load for a lead. From the third -- though the teens did a fine job with the "adult" script -- there are now two Teen Versions -- one running slightly shorter than the full script but somewhat translated for younger actors (about 2 hours with an intermission), and a tightened script that runs about 85 minutes. Take your choice!
A review of production #2 here.
Comments from audience members at Stained Glass Playhouse: "We had so much fun at this show tonight. Took a friend who had never been to Stained Glass Playhouse and she laughed so hard she cried. Thank you for the entertainment!!!!" / "I got to see 'Rehearsals' this past Sunday. It was hilarious - Loved it." / "Saw it last weekend - great!"
Productions:
Triad Playwrights Theatre, Greensboro, NC, Hyers Theatre, August, 2019.
Stained Glass Playhouse, Winston-Salem, NC, May, 2023.
Saax-Bradbury Teen Players, New Bern (NC) Civic Theatre, July 2023.
Print script available on Amazon.com.
Photo courtesy of Saax-Bradbury Teen Players.
Back to Full-Length Plays.
