Upper Canada Playhouse Opens Second Comedy

If anything can make the folks at The Playhouse even happier than the success of their smash hit opener, THE AMOROUS AMBASSADOR, it’s the fact that they’re following it up with an hilarious Norm Foster comedy plucked from this popular playwright’s bag of laughs! The second show in the packed theatre’s 2010 Comedy Season is THE LONG WEEKEND and according to Artistic Director Donnie Bowes, Playhouse audiences are in for more than a legal dose of laughs when it hits the stage July 8th through August 1st.

‘If there’s anything more fun than a good comedy, it’s a good comedy with lots of great surprises,’ says Bowes. ‘And if it’s a Norm Foster play, the audience is guaranteed to have a great time.’ The plot of the play involves four of Foster’s funniest characters. Roger and Abby accept an invitation to join Max and Wynn for a weekend at their summer home. What is meant to be a relaxing holiday turns into a battle of wits, as their pasts catch up with them, the gloves come off and old scores get settled in hilarious fashion. And there’s some great surprises that’ll keep the audience guessing through the whole show.

Another treat for the audience is the great mix of talented and experienced actors lined up for this comedy—some regulars, some returning to The Playhouse after a long absence and one brand new talent to grace the Playhouse stage. Returning to play Max is popular actor Jamie Williams, who delighted audiences in several Ray Cooney farces such as Run For Your Wife, Out of Order and last year’s hit Cash On Delivery. He also starred in Foster’s The Affections of May. Joining him is Susan Greenfield who is well known to Playhouse audiences for her performances in such hits as The Christmas Express and Foster’s Bedtime Stories. Returning after a five-year absence is Ed Leefe who starred as Oscar in The Playhouse’s The Odd Couple. He was also seen in Foster’s My Darling Judith. Rounding out the cast is Melanie Janzen, a talented and seasoned actress who comes to The Playhouse with an impressive list of credits including seven seasons at the Stratford Festival and the last four seasons at the Shaw Festival. She was also part of the North American tour of Livent’s Show Boat directed by Hal Prince. Walter Learning, known to Playhouse audiences as several hilarious old men in several hilarious Playhouse Ray Cooney farces, directs The Long Weekend. Learning is the founding artistic director of Theatre New Brunswick whose career has spanned this country several times as an actor, director and pioneer of the Canadian Theatre scene.

The Playhouse has gotten off to a stellar start with their season opener and expects The Long Weekend to keep its audience laughing well through the month of July. As usual everyone is encouraged to book early as tickets are flying out of the Box Office at a rapid pace. Playhouse shows are Tuesday through Saturday at 8PM with Matinees Wednesdays/Saturdays & Sundays at 2PM. Call 613-543-3713 or 1-877-550-3650. You can also find out everything you need to know about The Playhouse’s 2010 Season at www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com

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