Playhouse comedy on tap
WELLSBURG - The Brooke Hills Playhouse will present Neil and Caroline Schaffner's comedy, "Natalie Needs a Nightie," June 25-28 and July 2-3 at 8 p.m. and July 5 at 2 p.m.
"Natalie Needs a Nightie," is the story of bachelor Tommy Briggs and his efforts to deceive his boss into believing he is married. The situation is complicated by a female neighbor with the same name as Tommy, a drunken chambermaid, male and female friends who pose as Tommy's "wife," missing clothes, multiple babies, sudden entrances and exits and the title character, described by the authors as a girl with "everything."
Director Charles Calabrese of Wintersville said, "We have a first-rate cast of comedy veterans of all ages for this play, and all of them have been willing to go the extra mile to perform their physically demanding parts."
Bethany Snyder of Follansbee is cast in the title role. A recent graduate of West Liberty University, Snyder has appeared in many productions for Brooke High School and Brooke Hills Playhouse, has worked behind the scenes at the playhouse and has been a member of the Playhouse's Cloak and Dagger Mystery Company.
Another West Liberty alumnus, Peter Fernbaugh of Avella, will play Tommy Briggs. Fernbaugh has acted at West Liberty, Brooke Hills, the Hope Players, the Towngate Theatre and the Old Schoolhouse Players. He recently co-directed "Guys and Dolls" at Burgettstown High School. Fernbaugh also is the author and director of several interactive murder mysteries for the Cloak and Dagger Company.
Matt Gallabrese of Steubenville will play Tommy Briggs' best friend and reluctant accomplice, Jimmy Wilson. A student at Carnegie-Mellon University, Gallabrese has acted with Brooke Hills and Catholic Central High School.
Melody Coen of Wellsburg will play Natalie's best friend and Tommy's downstairs neighbor, a successful writer who uses Tommy Briggs as a pen name. Coen, another Brooke High and West Liberty alumna, has extensive credits with both schools and Brooke Hills, on stage and behind the scenes.
Amy Novak of Wheeling has the role of Rosebud, the chambermaid who develops a taste for Vita Cola, the soft drink Tommy sells, especially when it is mixed with gin. Novak is an area community theatre veteran, boasting credits with both the Brooke Hills Playhouse and Wheeling's Towngate Theatre.
Roger Van Horn of Weirton is another community theatre veteran, having been involved on stage and behind the scenes in many Weirton Community Players productions. He is making his Brooke Hills debut in the role of John Watson, the janitor for Tommy's apartment and a self-styled expert on women and marriage.
Tickets for "Natalie Needs a Nightie" are $9 for adults, $7 for students and $5 for children 12 and under. Reservations can be made by calling (304) 737-3344. Groups of 20 or more can obtain a one-dollar discount off admission to any performance. "Natalie Needs a Nightie" will be followed by "Disney's High School Musical 2," on July 9-12 and 16-18 at 8 p.m. and July 19 at 2 p.m. The playhouse will hold auditions for "Alice in Wonderland, a play for elementary and middle school actors, at 10 a.m. June 20 at the playhouse. The play will be presented Aug. 20-23 and 27-29.
