Theatre Guild Presents Final Show of 50th Season!
The Punxsutawney Theatre Arts Guild (PTAG) is staging “One in a Billion” on Friday, November 14, and on Saturday, November 15 at the Punxsutawney Presbyterian Church. Show time is 7:30 pm; tickets at the door. The show will serve as the final production of the local troupe’s 50th season of theatrical entertainment.
“One in a Billion” is by playwright Brian Mitchell for Eldridge Publishing and tells the story of Alexis Pinsky and her dilemma. She is a publishing editor with no current client. She needs to find an author to publish soon because living in an upscale Chicago apartment with two needy children is expensive, especially since she’s paying alimony after her divorce from Zack Pinsky. To top it off, she gets scammed, worsening her financial situation. Also in the story is a potential client and a helpful friend. The show’s director, Jef Dinsmore, stops it there by saying,” To give you the whole plot would just spoil the fun as there are twists and surprises that keep this fun little show going.”
The comedy had been in tight rehearsals for just six weeks and had to work around sick days and work schedules to get the show ready for the stage. PTAG lives by the axiom, as all theatre groups do, that “the show must go on”; it is doing just that as it loads into the church for final rehearsals before show dates. A last-minute cast change in the final week has really put that axiom to the test as the Guild promises to still pull off the show to the best of its abilities. Such dilemmas as this are just part of the issues community theatre faces, as the director states, “Small community efforts, such as this group presents, are always full of little crises. Whether it is a lack of auditioners, technical issues, or venue concerns, we always deal with them. Cast members have dropped out before in our history, but never during the show week. But what can I say, the show must go on, and it will.”
With ample assistance from co-director Debra Dinsmore and stage manager Matt Dinsmore, the director has created an apartment scene that sees the cast of six act out Mitchell’s story. The cast consists of Mady Matthews as Alexis Pinsky, Debra Dinsmore as her friend Stephanie, Jef Dinsmore as Zach Pinsky, Laia Hales as Ingrid Pinsky, Bentley Leslie as Ian Pinsky, and Doug Fye as Vladimir Flamenco. The director mentions that, “they are all fun but simple characters to play and they are not just all supporting players, but each has an important role to play regarding Alexis’s dilemma.”
“One in a Billion” shows that Alexis has literally a one-in-a-billion chance of making things right, and the Theatre Guild has an opportunity to give audiences an entertaining show. Support the Guild and attend this production – because “the show must go on!”
Once again, that is “One in a Billion”, which is being staged at the Punxsutawney Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Union & Findley Streets. Tickets at the door for $10.00 or with a Patron Ticket. See you at the show!