A note from the director -
Last year I was offered the opportunity to direct Same Time Next Year, which was to appear in this time slot, unfortunately, that changed at the last minute. We looked at the actor’s that were available and switched the show to The Owl and the Pussycat. We thought this would be a great vehicle for both Meghan and Nick—and I believe it has been a journey of discovery for both.
The downside to switching shows at the last minute is that I never even read the show until our first read through. So, as a Director, I was faced with some new challenges. “Oh well” I said to myself, “I’m good with comedy”. Well, this show is much more than just a comedy. It isn’t Odd Couple (although these two characters are about as opposite as you can get), but it’s a comedy about two people form two different planets. If men are from Mars and women from Venus then these planets are too close to each other.
Sometimes theatre is about being uncomfortable—sometimes as an audience member sometimes as an actor. I know that the process has been uncomfortable at times, especially for Meghan, who has been asked to stretch herself physically and mentally for the character of Doris. As an actor we draw from various experiences in our lives, well, Meghan’s character is prostitute—I rest my case. Actually, the profession is not the barrier, what does the profession represent and how does it affect her with relationships with other people. Nick’s character is more familiar but he is thrown into extraordinary circumstances.
Doris is all about emotion and Felix is all about intellect and when these two worlds collide we see the comedy -- sometimes uncomfortably.
I am reminded of what Shakespeare said, “To thine own self be true”. It seems so simple, but you cannot change what you cannot see. As a drug and alcohol counselor I understand all too well the difficulties in change. Change is uncomfortable even if it’s for the better.
Bob Herried
