After weeks of memorizing lines and practicing, the Bigfork Community Players are ready to perform Neil Simon’s classic dark comedy “Rumors.” The troupe has four performances between Feb. 27 and March 1 at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts.
First time director David Vale, who owns the Pocketstone Café in downtown Bigfork, is heading up the performance. Vale said the community players have been focusing on comedies this year and the group is performing three pieces by Simon, including “The Odd Couple,” “Jake’s Women” and “Rumors.” Vale said he wanted a story that engaged the audience and keeps them on the edge of their seats.
“The story moves quickly and it’s full of sharp writing,” Vale said. “Even though it’s a comedy, it’s a story about how normal people can be involved in a real crime.”
The story follows four New York City couples that are attending the deputy mayor’s anniversary party. But as the festivities get underway, something goes wrong and some of the guests find the politician covered in blood, in a drunken stupor and holding a recently fired gun. Over the next two acts, rumors of what happen spread as the couples try to figure out the truth.
Kalispell attorney Tim Wenz plays Glenn Cooper, an up-and-coming politician caught in the middle of the situation. Wenz said the last time he acted before an audience was as King Balthazar in a play about the Nativity in first grade. He said as a lawyer he often has to speak before a jury but performing before an audience is a much different experience. Besides having to remember lines, Wenz has to remember where to stand and how to convey the emotion of each scene. His wife, Ashley Wenz, is also in the play and is one of the primary reasons he decided to take another shot at acting.
“I wanted to branch out and try something different,” Wenz said. “It was sort of a bucket list thing.”
Michele Shapero, who is on the community players’ board of directors, is Rumors’ set designer and plays Claire Ganz in the show. She became involved with the players about three years ago and has been hooked ever since.
“Bigfork is a theater town and so this is our outlet to play with our creative juices,” Shapero said.
Vale agreed and said he got involved last year as a way to become more acquainted with the town’s theater community. He said he had not acted since high school but has thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to hone in his acting, and now directing, skills.
“I had heard that directing was a lot of work, almost as much work as opening up your own restaurant, and they’re right,” Vale said.
Rumors opens on Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and $5 for children under 12, although organizers warn attendees that the show does include mature language. Tickets can be purchased at Pocketstone Café, the Kalispell Grand Hotel and at the box office the night of the show. For more information visit www.bigforkcommunityplayers.com.