“The Man Who Came to Dinner”
When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Oct. 30-31, Nov. 6-7, 13-14 — 2 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 1, 8 and 15
Where: Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave.
Tickets: $10 preview, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28
Pay What You Will, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Tickets available at the box office from 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, online at www.olympictheatrearts.org and by calling 683-7326.
More info: facebook.com/olympictheatrearts
An ego for under the tree
You’re invited to spend the holidays with one of the worst house guests of all time.
Ron Graham stars as critic and radio personality Sheridan “Sherry” Whiteside in George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s “The Man Who Came to Dinner.”
Olympic Theatre Arts’ offers the show for three weeks from Oct. 30-Nov. 15.
As is custom, a $10 preview night begins at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, and a Pay What You Will show on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
The setup is well-known with “The Man Who Came to Dinner” opening a few weeks before Dec. 25, 1939, and Whiteside is invited to dinner at the home of industrialist Ernest Stanley (Mark Valentine). Whiteside slips on the steps and becomes an long-term and unwelcome holiday house guest for the Stanley family as his demands become more egregious.
For Sequim’s rendition, Graham said Whiteside was a role he sought out.
“It’s one of the roles you look forward to,” he said. “It’s a challenging role. It has a huge line load and most of my script is highlighted, but it’s iconic. There’s a fun challenge in doing a role like that.”
Director Olivia Shea said “The Man Who Came to Dinner” is a classic and follows Kaufman and Hart’s popular setting from “You Can’t Take It With You” of a large cast in a living room.
“It’s been a huge hit because it’s funny,” Shea said. “I think people really wanted to see something funny at the time. It took their mind off what was going on. It’s also timeless because everything basically stays the same.”
Graham says it’s a play that can affect everyone.
“This touches a human emotion that doesn’t change from era to era,” he said. “It doesn’t change because of new technology. It doesn’t change because of differences in economy or anything else. It’s a very human story.”
Graham leads a large cast of 20-plus actors, including Sara Nicholls playing Maggie Cutler, Whiteside’s secretary who helps manage the chaos between Whiteside, his entourage and the Stanley family. Cutler is in love with reporter Bert Jefferson (Karl Hatton) but Whiteside fears she’ll leave his side for a new life so he creates a love triangle by bringing in his friend and actress Lorraine Sheldon (Angela Poynter-Lemaster).
Graham said he doesn’t think Whiteside knows of his selfishness and pomposity.
“His initial response to Maggie (being in love is) she couldn’t possibly want this because he wouldn’t possibly want this,” Graham said. “I don’t think he understands that people have varying opinions that they’re entitled to and his opinions aren’t always right. I think he learns that in the course of the show.”
While Whiteside is based on an actual critic, Graham said he tries to connect in any role he does to a make the character seem human.
“If I’m playing an inherently bad person like Jud Fry in “Oklahoma,” I try to bring something to the table to make somebody in the audience look at how bad that person is and realize there is something they need to change,” he said. “If I’m playing an inherently good person, I still look for something in it that shows their humanity.”
Shea said the play features a range of new and seasoned community actors.
Principal actors include Mindy Gelder, Jayna Orchard, Raven Gelder, Nick Fairchild, Merv and Judi Wingard, Maria Roragen, Monica Ostrom, Mark Valentine, Steve Schultz, Tracy Williams, Rich Hendricksen, Pat Owens, Jared Kneidl and Joe Schulz.
