evergreenplayers.org

Moon Over Buffalo

By Ken Ludwig [PG-13]

Directed by Bernie Cardell.

From the author of Lend Me A Tenor, this backstage farce brought Carol Burnett back to Broadway as Charlotte Hay, an aging thespian longing for a shot at the big screen. She endures a love/hate relationship with her husband and acting partner George, who has delusions of grandeur in his head and often a bottle of alcohol in his hand. Fate gives these two one last shot at performing for Frank Capra in hopes of landing starring roles in Hollywood. In true farce fashion, Moon Over Buffalo bursts with mistaken identities, madcap misadventures and hilarious misunderstandings.

Director's Notes

Moon Over Buffalo is a classic modern farce. If you look up the word "farce," you will generally find the following:

1) A comedy, which aims to entertain by means of unlikely and extravagant - yet often possible - situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases, often involving an elaborate chase scene.

2) A stuffing made of meat or bacon.

I can guarantee that we have all of the items listed in definition number one. I am sad to report, however, that there is no stuffing of either meat OR bacon.

In the meantime, Moon Over Buffalo "aims to entertain." I have never laughed so much and so hard during rehearsals as I have with this show. I am pleased to report that we have a first-class cast of comedians ready to hit the target. Your job as audience member? Allow yourself the pleasure of laughing out loud as scientists report that laughter IS the best medicine and can cure everyday ailments such as jumpy leg, gout, and rickets.

Moon Over Buffalo is that rare treat: a totally guilt-free evening of enjoyment and laughter. There are no hidden artistic messages for you to receive, no symbolism you should be looking for, and no hidden agendas. There is, however, a joke at least every three minutes, so in the next 100 minutes, there is the possibility of at least 33.333 big laughs (please let me know which one is the .333). Certain studies indicate this is more laughter than the average human gets in a month. And that's the advantage of live theatre: come and see Moon Over Buffalo and you will live longer.

To Carol, Len, Jessica, Patrick, Haley, Matt, Scott, and Kathleen - you are a joy to work with. Thank you for bringing everything you have to this banquet table, it is indeed, a moveable feast. To you, our audience, I invite you to email me with your comments on the show: bernster74@hotmail.com. And thank you for continuing to support live theatre in Colorado. Now sit back, relax, buckle up, place your tray tables in the upright position, and get ready to laugh.

Bernie Cardell
Director

Cast

Matt Bachus Paul

Matt's last two shows with Evergreen Players were Bullshot Crummond (Bullshot), and Breaking Legs (Terrance) and he has been an actor, both professionally and just for fun, for longer than he cares to admit. Matt's current and recent TV commercial appearances include regional and national spots for Village Homes, Colorado Lottery, DishNetwork, Starz/Encore, and Infiniti. The Evergreen Players and everyone involved with this production are all talented, professional and fantastic and Matt is honored to be a part of it all. He also enjoys his day job as a Realtor® with Tupper's Team at Re/Max in Evergreen and he thanks his wife Jennai for her support and for taking the extra time with their two adorable daughters while he's out playing.

Bernie Cardell Director

Bernie is very pleased to return to the Evergreen stage to direct this wonderful comedy with this super-talented cast and crew. Past Evergreen credits include playing Toad in the musical A Year with Frog and Toad and directing the thriller Wait Until Dark, which won him a 2005 Colorado Backstage Spotlight Award for Best Director of a Drama. Other directing credits include The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow (Next Stage), Pack of Lies (Industrial Arts), The Credeaux Canvas (Identity Theatre), and Elegy for a Lady (Subversive Intelligence). Favorite acting roles include Hines in The Pajama Game, Andrew in Recent Tragic Events, and Marcellus in The Music Man. Upcoming projects include directing The Mousetrap and Mr. Marmalade and starring in the upcoming farce Run for Your Wife with Spotlight Theatre Company. Bernie is proud to serve on the board of the Evergreen Players. Thank you for supporting live theatre!

Jessica Clare Eileen

Jessica is thrilled to return to Evergreen after her portrayal of Catherine in the Evergreen Players production of Proof. Jessica has a BFA Degree in Musical Theatre from Ohio Northern University as well as training from the Gateway Theatre Conservatory in Edinburgh, Scotland. Since moving to Denver, she has performed with several companies, including Main Street Players, Performance Now, Town Hall Arts Center, Imagination Makers Theatre Company, and Next Stage, where she portrayed Sara Jane Moore in the Henry Award winning Best Musical of the Year Assassins. Her favorite theatrical credits include Martha in The Secret Garden, Sally in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Angela in Darlene (Byre Theatre, Scotland), Sister Felicity in Suddenly Last Summer (Gateway Theatre, Scotland), Medea in Medea, Emily in Our Town, Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Annabel in Evergreen's production of Lucky Stiff. Jessica would like to thank her family and friends for all their love, laughter and support.

Patrick Collins Howard

Patrick Collins - Patrick was last seen in Evergreen stalking the stage as Roat in Wait Until Dark. Since then he has been Albert Einstein in Lafayette's production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile and in The E Project's recent Little Shop of Horror as Mrs. Luce. Other favorite roles have been Don in Universal Language, Jason Posner in W;t and Emil in Three Viewings. He's excited to be back in Evergreen with such a fantastic cast and show.

Kathleen Davis Ethel

Kathleen Davis is the current president of the Board of Directors for the Evergreen Players, but did not in any way use this position to get the part of Ethel. Kathleen and husband John have been active members of the Players since moving to Evergreen in 1966. She is a retired musician and teacher, currently learning to be a poet and short story writer. Theater credits in her years with the Players include about 30 acting gigs and 20 as director. Kathleen would love to have a dollar for every laugh generated by rehearsals
with this amazing cast, crew and director.

Carol Gartner Charlotte Hay

Carol is happy to be back on stage with the Evergreen Players since her last performance here (Pump Boys & Dinettes in 1995), as well as the opportunity to work with Bernie (a long-time dream) and this fabulous cast. She has played leading roles (in both Minneapolis and the Denver area) in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Mona), The King and I (Anna), Fiddler on the Roof (Golde), A Little Night Music (Desiree), Baby (Arlene), Mame (Mame), Hello Dolly! (Dolly), West Side Story (Anita), The Pajama Game (Babe), Deathtrap (Myra), Bus Stop (Cherie), Oklahoma (Ado Annie), The Taffetas (Kaye), The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Molly), The Foreigner (Catherine), Inherit the Wind (Rachel) and many more. She was trained at the MacPhail Center for the Performing Arts in Minneapolis. Carol and her incredible (and untiring) husband of 37 years (Steve) are raising their 3 grandchildren, which keeps them young and busy.

Scott Gibson Richard

Scott has directed, stage-managed or acted in twenty-plus Players' productions over the years, including Evita, Black Comedy, and Bullshot Crummond. He's appeared in productions with The Evergreen Chorale, Conifer StageDoor Theatre, and a variety of Denver-based theatre companies, and is pleased to return to Center/Stage after a few years' absence. He would have been back sooner, but he was rinsing out a few things. Scott is also the artistic director of Conundrum Productions, which just produced the world-premiere of his own play Someone Else's Life.

Haley Johnson Roz

Haley is delighted to return to the Evergreen Players' stage after starring in last fall's well-received thriller Wait Until Dark (Best Actress - Colorado Backstage Spotlight Award) and this past summer's award-winning production of Independence. She earned a BA in Theatre from the University of Colorado at Denver and was seen in such productions as Of Mice and Men, Look Back in Anger, Julius Caesar and Lysistrata. Most recent roles include Julie Jackson in Pack of Lies, Dot in Mrs. California, Amelia in The House of Bernarda Alba and Grace in What I Did Last Summer.

Len Matheo George Hay

Len began his acting career in New York City. After studying acting at S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, he performed in many off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions, including the US Premiere of The Hired Man and Horton Foote's Blind Date. Len's recent roles with the Evergreen Players include: Dan in Down the Road, Captain Keller in The Miracle Worker, Linus in Sabrina, and Greg in Sylvia. He's been seen elsewhere in Colorado and New Mexico as Lopahkin in Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, Cliff in Cabaret, Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard, and The Husband in Hello Out There. Len also just directed the play Brilliant Traces for the Evergreen Players. Love and thanks to Lisa, Len's partner in all things.

Production Crew