playbill vip

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

What a journey it’s been! To be asked to be the first director to present a theatrical piece and to make that first impression with my ideas and visions is daunting and exhilarating all at the same time! To go from the talking stages of putting this brand new theatre piece on its feet, to assembling the right cast of actors, visualizing the village in the story, simplifying elements of the set to accommodate our cast, witnessing the building of each individual prop and studying every detail of the history to acquire the correct vintage of book or utensil. From borrowing, building, ordering or making each costume piece, hat, boot and wig, to talking through every possible scenario and situation as Rip Van Winkle goes through his journey in our story, to seeing the entire process all the way through to the performance on the beautiful Gaslight Stage! This has been a privilege and a pleasure every step of the way. I have been blessed beyond measure to be given this unique opportunity! Thank you to Mr. Vincent Bonvissuto for putting his faith in me to bring his work to this point! 

Now, let’s imagine for just a minute that YOU are Rip Van Winkle! Can you picture it? Waking up and realizing you have missed 16 years of your life? What would you regret? What would YOU want to go back and have another chance at doing?

Rip chooses to live the “Carefree Life”. He would rather not be concerned with the issues of the day, but take it easy and just go fishing! Sadly, he learns too late that this is a life that is incomplete. 

I hope we all come away remembering that it is in taking the bad with the good, the hard times, with the fun times, that life is ALL of those things, and to not let a moment of our lives go by frivolously!

- Marilyn Fair