"Stage Door," by award-winning playwrights Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman, will occupy center stage in Antilles School's auditorium Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Katherine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers starred in the movie by the same name, which was nominated for four academy awards.
A light-hearted drama, the play is set in the lobby of a boarding house for aspiring actresses in New York City in the late 1930s. The action reflects the comings and goings of their dates, potential directors, producers and agents; interactions with unexpected family visitors, the maid and her husband; and some heart-to-heart conversations among the would-be actresses. The lesson of the play is the importance of learning to be true to yourself and your art.
Willie Wilson directs a cast of 32. The main character is Terry Randall, the actress with the potential to "make it," played by Jessica Schuler, who portrayed Helen Keller in last year's production of "The Miracle Worker." Andrew Luscz plays a producer and Hollywood scout, looking for New York talent and Lauren Keil takes on the role of an actress who "goes Hollywood." Favinn Maynard and Brandon Consolvo are the maid and her bumbling husband. Sarah Penney is the matron of the boarding house and aspiring actresses are played by Cassidie Petersen, Crew Smith – a talented pianist – Nadia Boulejiouch, Laurell Christian, Emily Newbold, Emily Wax, Jaughna Nielsen-Bobbit – a talented dancer – Diana Zalucky, Jessa Buchalter, Lana Winter, Carlyn Wesley, Kiran Wadhwani, Ananta Pancham, Brittany Fredericks, Jill Tyler and Mercedes Cover. Alexis Karlin is one of the boarder's mothers and Earle Richards one of their fathers. Matt Driscoll, Lane Sell, Bo Nichols, Ryan Nichols, Walker Carney, Willie Grogan, Justin Wheatley and Anwar Lockhart take on the roles of playwrights, producers, a Hollywood mogul, a photographer, agents, directors and dates.
The set, painted by artist Karen Bertrand and built by parent Stephen Schuler, transposes the audience to the atmosphere of a New York City boardinghouse in the late '30s, and the costumes, organized by Production Coordinator Carol Malo, complete the transformation.
Dozens of devoted parents have contributed hundreds of hours to help make this performance a success. Call Antilles School at 776-1600 to reserve your seats at the 7:30 p.m. performances.