Staff Writer
The Apex Peak Players put on the production All Because of Agatha by Jonathan Troy on October 25, 26, and 27. After two months of hard work and preparation, the cast and crew finally had their chance under the lights. The comedy takes place in modern day Massachusetts, but is all about a witch, Agatha Forbes, from Old Salem, who has been haunting the same house for 250 years. Mr. and Mrs. O’Hara, a newly married couple, buys the haunted house despite learning about its ghostly visitor. The entire play takes place in the O’Hara’s living room as they and many other characters witness the power of Agatha Forbes.
The two main roles, Duff O’Hara and Joan O’Hara, were played by Mark Parrish and Lauren Cox, respectively. These two did a phenomenal job as they not only memorized countless lines, but also delivered them with clarity and poise. Parrish did a great job of making his facial expressions clear and over exaggerated, a key to most comedies. “It is important to still be acting even when you’re not speaking. Facial expressions help with this,” said Parrish. One thing Cox did well was stay extremely focused and concentrated. During the final dress rehearsal, a phone ringtone sound effect didn’t go off, but she stayed calm and improvised her way out of the sticky situation.
As for the rest of the cast, there were only eight other members in what was one of director Gina Winter’s smallest casts ever. One aspect that worked nicely was the different relationships between the individual characters. Each day during the rehearsal process, it was fascinating to watch those relationships grow and grow. In addition, the cast responded well to the physical challenges of certain blocking. Actors Ainsley Seiger and Chris Shannon performed stage combat with the use of a karate flip while Lourdes Martinez and Gregory Calarco had simulated slaps. “One of my favorite parts of the play was the karate and stage combat aspect,” said Shannon.
The light board operator Danny Martin and sound effects man Carter Khoury deserve some of the glory for a great show as well. A cast is nothing without its crew and this one proved to be quite the complementary group. Stage Manager Daniel Fulling made numerous contributions to the show including some prop acquisitions, organizing blocking and other notes, and serving as Winter’s right hand man.
All the aspects of quality entertainment were ready and present for this hilarious comedy: the actors, the crew, the director, the script and the audience. Next up for the Apex Peak Players is the musical Bye Bye Birdie in the spring. As for fall amusement though, they deserve a big thumbs up.
