BY MARY KAY SWEIKAR
DANVILLE — Red Mask Players are excited to present “The Replacement,” a new play by New York playwright Jacob Appel.
Performances will be at 8 p.m. March 26 and 27 and April 2, 3, 9 and 10, and at 2 p.m. March 28 and April 11 at the Kathryn Randolph Theater, 601 N. Vermilion. There will be no performance on April 4, which is Easter Sunday.
The story centers around a 50-year-old woman who believes she is dying. Her goal is to find a replacement to care for her husband and her daughters when she is gone. She places an ad in the newspaper, never anticipating the response she will get.
This is the first time that Jamie DeVore will be directing a Red Mask adult play.
“I’m really excited about this play, especially since it’s never been produced anywhere before,” DeVore said. “It’s a dark comedy, but has its lighter moments and is really very charming.
“It’s an actor-driven show with only six actors,” DeVore added, “and they are all wonderful to work with.”
Ed DeVore, who is Jamie’s husband, has directed his wife in Red Mask plays before, and they are both veterans of the theater group. “But we have a turnabout here, where for the first time Jamie is directing me,” Ed said.
He is also the only male actor in the small cast.
“Being in this play is something like living in a house with all daughters,” he added, “but the actors have good chemistry with each other, and the play has been a lot of fun.”
Cast members include Nancy Henderson as Bonnie Norcross; Sue Daugherty as Carol Conbere; Ed DeVore as Donald Norcross; Rhonda Sermersheim as Pam Norcross; Amanda Coutant as Dana Norcross; and Leslie VanCamp as Amelia Norcross.
Sue Harden is the stage manager and Mike Boedicker is in charge of production.
“We have several newcomers in our cast, including Leslie, Sue and Rhonda,” Ed said, “and they are doing an amazing job.”
IF YOU GO
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $10 for students. To make reservations, call the box office at 442-5858. Tickets also may be purchased at the Kathryn Randolph Theatre between 6 and 8 p.m. March 21 through 25.
