Mid-Ohio Valley Players closing season with ‘Abernathy in Marietta’
Ash Michael and Jeff Walker, playing Pam Ruddiger and Horace Hufnagel, respectively, in “Abernathy in Marietta,” a play by local writer Jason Half and opening 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Caleb Bland as Hank Abernathy and Ike Eastwood as Harrison P. Abernathy rehearse a scene from “Abernathy in Marietta,” a locally written play opening 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
“Abernathy in Marietta” premieres 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. Dyrk Conrad plays Toby Simms, a grocer. (Photo Provided)
George Gaston as an officer of the law in “Abernathy in Marietta” by local writer Jason Half. The play opens 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Ike Eastwood as Harrison P. Abernathy and Jane Mancini as Delia Hofnagel in a scene from “Abernathy in Marietta,” a play by local writer Jason Half. The show opens 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Melanie Elliott portrays Connie Dow in “Abernathy in Marietta,” a play by local writer Jason Half that premieres 8 pm. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players. (Photo Provided)
“Abernathy in Marietta” opens 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. The show was written by local playwright Jason Half. Here, Suzanne Walker as Carolyn Gardner and Amber Smrek as Claire Gardner rehearse a scene. (Photo Provided)
The premiere of “Abernathy in Marietta” will be held 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. Tilly Felt plays Bonnie Dow and Coulson Elliott plays Johnny Dow. (Photo Provided)
Ash Michael and Jeff Walker, playing Pam Ruddiger and Horace Hufnagel, respectively, in “Abernathy in Marietta,” a play by local writer Jason Half and opening 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Caleb Bland as Hank Abernathy and Ike Eastwood as Harrison P. Abernathy rehearse a scene from “Abernathy in Marietta,” a locally written play opening 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
“Abernathy in Marietta” premieres 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. Dyrk Conrad plays Toby Simms, a grocer. (Photo Provided)
George Gaston as an officer of the law in “Abernathy in Marietta” by local writer Jason Half. The play opens 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Ike Eastwood as Harrison P. Abernathy and Jane Mancini as Delia Hofnagel in a scene from “Abernathy in Marietta,” a play by local writer Jason Half. The show opens 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. (Photo Provided)
Melanie Elliott portrays Connie Dow in “Abernathy in Marietta,” a play by local writer Jason Half that premieres 8 pm. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players. (Photo Provided)
“Abernathy in Marietta” opens 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. The show was written by local playwright Jason Half. Here, Suzanne Walker as Carolyn Gardner and Amber Smrek as Claire Gardner rehearse a scene. (Photo Provided)
The premiere of “Abernathy in Marietta” will be held 8 p.m. today at the Mid-Ohio Valley Players in Marietta. Tilly Felt plays Bonnie Dow and Coulson Elliott plays Johnny Dow. (Photo Provided)
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MARIETTA -- The Mid-Ohio Valley Players will close its 2022-23 season with the world premiere of "Abernathy in Marietta" written by local playwright Jason Half.
"Abernathy in Marietta" opens 8 p.m. today, Saturday, June 23 and 24 and 3 p.m. June 25. Tickets are $13 and are available at midohiovalleyplayers.com or at the box office 90 minutes before each show.
"Abernathy in Marietta" is a comedy that follows a theater group as it prepares to present a new play celebrating the town and its history.
Everyone is excited to stage the story of Harrison P. Abernathy, a paper mill pioneer from 1860s Ohio. But the playwright has another motive for choosing this town and these people, and when reality intrudes the group must decide how accepting and how honest their community really is.
Caleb Bland plays Hank, the son of the mysterious man who has brought this show to the local theater.
"Hank is a very emotional character, he's constantly having to hold in his true feelings and desires, torn between his father and the people he's around," he said.
Bland loves working on a locally written show.
"Being able to say we're the first group to put this on is quite an honor. If you want a good family drama, I'd recommend you come see this show."
Tilly Felt plays the youngest cast member Bonnie Dow.
"Bonnie steals a lot of stuff, she is a handful, and she will do anything for a Sprite! This is my biggest part I've had where I had to memorize lines. I love acting."
Felt lists the fight choreography as one of her favorite parts of the show.
"It is so real. I get to head butt people twice! I also like getting to meet new people in the play. It's a really good show!"
Director David Grande believes working with the playwright is one of the most wonderful experiences imaginable in theater.
"In most cases, you are buying the rights to a script to produce a play, but never ever speak to the playwright. Directing a play like 'Abernathy in Marietta' becomes a collaborative effort between the playwright, the director and the cast. As a director, you have a vision as to how a specific scene might best be played. But with the playwright there, you can now ask what was going through the playwright's mind when he/she wrote these scene," he said.
Half said he wanted to write a script that celebrated Marietta and all the great people who come together to make community theater.
"Community is a major theme of this comedy play. What brings people together and how do they know where they belong?" Half said. "I also love behind-the-scenes stories where we get to watch characters make a play or movie, and I knew I could find many comedy moments as egos clashed and chaos threatens to derail the rehearsals."
The cast is: Suzanne Walker as Carolyn Gardner; Amber Smrek as Claire Gardner; Ike Eastwood as Harrison P. Abernathy; Caleb Bland as Hank Abernathy; George Gaston as Butch Walker; Dyrk Conrad as Toby Simms; Jeff Walker as Horace Hofnagel; Jane Mancini as Delia Hofnagel; Ash Michael as Pam Ruddiger; Melanie Elliott as Connie Dow; Coulson Elliott as Johnny Dow; Tilly Felt as Bonnie Dow.
The director is David Grande with assistance from Beth Lane.