Primghar Community Playhouse Moon over Buffalo by Ken Ludwig April 5 - Dinner Theater April 6 Evening April 7 Matinee 2002 Primghar (Iowa, US) Community Building

George and Charlotte Hay are traveling actors around 1953, when television is displacing touring companies. They get a shot at stardom when a desperate movie director looks to them to replace actors who quit in mid production. Love triangles and misunderstandings add to the fun.

CAST

• George Hay, mid-50's actor.
      R. Brinkert, Primghar
• Charlotte Hay, early 50's actress. Charlotte and George are the lead actors in one of the last traveling stage groups in the early 50's.
      A. Arrick, Primghar
• Ethel, Charlotte's mother, part of the troupe, hard of hearing, always at odds with George
      B. Uittenbogaard, Primghar
• Rosalind, George and Charlotte's daughter, formerly part of the troupe, now just back to visit
      L. Grady, Archer
• Howard, Rosalind's fiancè, a weatherman
      D. McDowell, Archer
• Eileen, an understudy in the play.
      D. Martin, Sutherland
• Paul, Understudy and stage manager for the troupe. Also Rosalind's former boyfriend.
      J. Rohwer, Archer
• Richard, lawyer for the Hay's and infatuated with Charlotte.
      D. Steuck, Primghar

Directed by T. J. Leonard; assistant directors: B. Uittenbogaard and R. Brinkert

Premiere at the Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, Oct 1, 1995

For scripts, contact Samuel French, Inc. 45 W. 25th St, New York, NY 10010-2751; Tel 212.206.8990. Hours: 9-5, M-F

Historical or relevant background you might want to check before seeing the play:

• The play, Private Lives, by Noel Coward opened in London's Phoenix Theatre in 1930.
• Cyrano de Bergerac was a 17th century French poet. The play by Edmund Rostand opened in 1897; a movie version in 1950. This love story has some excellent references the qualities of the proboscis.
• Shakespeare's Hamlet is mentioned. Shakespeare plays in general are available on the web, complete!
• A proposed film was to be directed by Frank Capra, an award winning Hollywood director. For example, he directed It's a Wonderful Life
• An oblique reference to Edgar Allan Poe's House of Usher reminds us of the spooky written and radio versions of the story (also available on DVD).
  
  
• Brief Biography of Ken Ludwig
• Review of a Syracuse, NY, performance.
• Set Renderings-Virginia Theater, 2001
• VHS/DVD Movie: Backstage documentary of producing the play.