Delight in a comedy of errors
A salacious affair? A senile stage-managing mother? A downtrodden binge drinker? Nope, it’s not Thanksgiving with your in-laws!
“Moon Over Buffalo,” debuting Friday at Macon Little Theatre, is a comedy of errors that follows the lives of two aging stars struggling to grasp that their time in center stage is a bit more dimly lit than it once was.
“Ken Ludwig (who wrote this play) does a remarkable job with creating fast-paced shows, great farces littered with comedy,” said director John Freeman. “ ‘Moon Over Buffalo’ hinges on the large personalities of each character, the follies of people and disastrous mishaps than shape our lives.”
Freeman comes to Macon Little Theatre after retiring from teaching almost a year ago. In addition to his role inside the classroom, Freeman served as the director of fine arts for Mount de Sales Academy.
“I reached out to John Jones letting him know I’d be interested in getting involved in community theater and then one thing led to another and I found myself directing three shows for the 2016-2017 season. It’s as if I started a second career almost,” Freeman said. “I’m just having fun. It’s not a job when you enjoy something this much.”
“Moon Over Buffalo” will be the final production of Macon Little Theatre’s current season, and guarantees to have the audience roaring with laughter.
“Each character has their own unique shining moments, over the top scenes that are all woven together by the chaos of confusion,” Freeman said. “Set in the summer of 1953 with George and Charlotte Hay’s stardom fading, the play is doused with infidelity and continual mistaken identity.”
To reignite their career, the Buffalo, New York, couple attempt to impress famous film director Frank Capra. However, despite their passion and good intent, they are bombarded with continual and somewhat avoidable missteps. George’s unfaithfulness has resulted in a pregnancy and demise of his marriage, leading to a drunken stupor that lasts the entirety of the second act.
Join George, Charlotte, their daughter, hateful mother-in-law and the rest of the motley crew of characters as they navigate the world of theater together, trying to come out on top.
“Moon Over Buffalo”
When: 8 p.m. May 12-13, 17-20; 2:30 p.m. May 14 and 21
Where: Macon Little Theatre, 4220 Forsyth Road
Cost: $20 adults, $15 seniors (60+), $10 students (up to 23)
Information: 478-477-3342; maconlittletheatre.org
This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 8:02 AM with the headline "Delight in a comedy of errors."