Leading Ladies
Press Release
January 20, 2014
The Belleville Theatre Guild,
256 Pinnacle Street, Belleville
(613) 967-1442
Cast Members Leading Ladies: Group shot. (L-R) Terry Boyd, Colin Leonard, Maija Thompson, Nathan Mahaffy, Wendy Cardinal, Eric Lucas, William Dauphinee, Denyce Nielsen
Cast Members: Wendy Cardinal, William Dauphinee, Terry Boyd, Nathan Mahaffy
Belleville: Leading Ladies, the third production of this season at Pinnacle Playhouse is a madcap romp of disguise, fortune hunting, small town life and romance written by playwright Ken Ludwig. Two unemployed actors try to improve their finances when they see a newspaper ad from an ailing elderly spinster who is trying to locate her long lost relatives, Max and Steve, to pass on her fortune. When they arrive in town, they discover Max and Steve are actually nicknames for the lady’s long lost nieces and their acting skills are challenged as they try to impersonate Maxine and Stephanie.
Inevitably they attract the amorous attentions of several local bachelors, while at the same time losing their own hearts as well. With a nod to Shakespeare, who often had cross-dressing heroes and heroines in his plots, there is even a scene from Twelfth Night to add to the many costume changes the lead characters have to undergo. The play also includes a riotously funny tango scene that is reminiscent of the Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon classic, Some Like it Hot.
Leading Ladies is produced by Pat Gray, and is the directing debut of Heather Barker, mentored by Belleville Theatre Guild veteran director Phil Bowerman. Barker is no stranger to the stage and comedy as she rocked the audiences as the uncoordinated stripper in Bed Time Stories and the romantic interest in Play it Again Sam in the last two seasons. Bill Dahl is also making his debut as Stage Manager and Set Designer.
New to the Belleville Theatre Guild stage are Nathan Mahaffy as Jack / Stephanie and Wendy Cardinal as Meg, the real cousin. A number of talented comic actors who brought the house down last year in Bed Time Stories are back including Terry Boyd as Leo / Maxine, Bill Dauphinée as the Reverend, Colin Leonard as the Doctor and award winning student actress Maija Thompson as Audrey, the aunt’s hip young roller skating aide. Denyce Nielsen is better known in the Theatre Guild for her more recent behind scene roles as stage manager but is now kicking up her heels as the aging wealthy aunt who dances a sizzling tango when she’s not actively dying. Eric Lucas is returning to the stage as Butch, the doctor’s son.
The play runs from Feb. 6 to 22 with a preview on Tuesday Feb. 4. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $10 for Students and $18 for Seniors. Showtime is at 8:00 pm for evening performances and 2:00 pm for the Sunday matinées. Reservations can be made by calling the Box Office at 613-967-1442. The barrier-free Pinnacle Playhouse is equipped with an elevator, front row seating for wheel chairs and an accessible washroom.
Submitted by Bill Dahl
