Acting Out! Theater Company, Inc.
Lafferty's Wake - March 2008
clovers_gr.jpg

Lafferty’s Wake

There's a wee bit O' Irish in all of us!!

laffertyswakecast2008.jpg


THE STAGE

60 Island Street

Lawrence, MA 01845

 

Friday, March 7th 7:00pm

Saturday, March 8th 7:30pm

Friday, March 14th 7:30pm

Saturday, March 15th 7:30pm

 

DOOR OPENS 1 HOUR BEFORE SHOWTIME!

CASH BAR   Tickets $12

 

For ticket info and reservations call:

978-794-0001

clovers_gr.jpg

Can't make it these nights or just want to see it again?

 Catch Lafferty's Wake  "On The Road"

 

The Cedar Crest Restaurant

Thursday, March 13th @7pm

Call Cedar Crest at 978-685-5722 for ticket info!

 

The Claddagh Pub

Sunday, March 16th @ 3pm.

Call Acting Out Theater Company at 978-794-0001 for ticket info!

irisheyes1cp.gif

North Andover Citizen newspaper article:

 Celebrating 'Lafferty's Wake'

By Sally Applegate/Correspondent

Thu Mar 06, 2008

North Andover - Ah, poor Lafferty. His friends are gathered to send him off to the great beyond in style, holding his wake at Rory’s Pub, his home away from home. Drinking, singing, dancing and joking, the large cast circulates through the audience, which is comfortably seated at tables and participates in the fun. North Andover’s Acting Out Theater Company opens its two-week run of Susan Turlish’s freewheeling interactive “Lafferty’s Wake” this Friday, March 7, at 7 p.m. at The Stage, 60 Island St., Lawrence. The March 8, 14 and 15 performances will all begin at 7:30 p.m.

If you’re coming to honor Lafferty’s life, you’ll probably want to arrive an hour early and get some brew from the cash bar so you’ll have something to wave through the air or tap on the table during the rollicking Irish songs sprinkled through the evening. Prepare to sing along with such favorites as “The Unicorn,” “Wild Rover,” “The Orange and the Green,” “When Irish Eyes are Smiling,” and many more. Don’t worry about remembering the lyrics; your program is also a songbook.

As Father Pettigrew, Steve Daly of North Andover circulates through the audience striking up conversations and asking questions. Now and then a bell rings, announcing it is time for Joke in a Jar. A slip of paper is drawn from a clear glass jar on the bar, and an audience member reads it for everyone’s enjoyment. At other times, audience members might be invited to try a little dance or sing a little song.

As bar owner Rory Finn, David Boudreau of North Andover shows off a fine singing style in his performance of “Whisky in the Jar.” He also regales the audience with stories. Much of the evening’s humor is raunchy in a benign sort of way — appropriate to the dearly departed Lafferty’s personality in life.

The enlarged performance space at The Stage is perfect for this expansive wake, and allows the cast plenty of room for socializing with the audience.

Jimmy Otis of Lowell is a triple threat as Lafferty’s piano playing nephew Patrick McGee. Otis is marvelous on the piano, convincing as a young Irishman, and has an appealing face and accent.

North Andover residents Janet Eichler as Lafferty’s sister Maggie McGee and Betsy Hopkins as his widow turn in raffish performances and some strong singing.

Since much of the show has alternating casts on different nights, Andover resident Penny Kohut will be playing Lafferty’s widow at the March 7 and 8 performances. Kohut sports a terrific accent and a powerful singing voice.

The cast does a hilarious a capella takeoff on “Danny Boy” in memory of Lafferty’s goofy departed dog, Old Duffy — hence the deeply moving “Duffy Boy,” complete with harmonization.

Connie Fogg Bouchard of Andover is the dramatic Italian Widow, Mitzi Beals of North Andover is the appealing but dense barmaid, and Ann Milmore of North Andover and Barbara McGovern of Andover play the nuns who tried to keep Lafferty in line when he was in grade school. Ellen Benedict of Andover plays one of the nuns during the March 14 and 15 performances.

Carolyn Boudreau of North Andover provides some fancy step dancing as Kirstin Quickstep, and Tom Murphy of Lawrence is the bartender.

Ravishing in red wigs are North Andover residents Linda Schoonmaker as Lafferty’s “special friend” and Kendall Beals as her daughter — who looks suspiciously like Lafferty.

You can’t have an Irish celebration without a leprechaun, now, can you? Brad Vitiello of Salem, N.H., will be Lucky the Leprechaun on March 7 and 8, while Arthur Feinberg will play him on March 14 and 15. 

This amusing show was so popular last year that two extra performances have been added this year in what Acting Out is calling “Lafferty’s Wake — On the Road.” At 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, the show will be performed at the Cedar Crest Restaurant. Call them at 978-685-5722 for ticket information. At 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 16, the Claddagh Pub will host the show. Call Acting Out Theater Company at 978-794-0001 for information on the Sunday afternoon performance at the Claddagh.

For performances at The Stage, tickets are $12. For ticket information call Acting Out at 978-794-0001 or email them at actingout@earthlink.net.

Acting Out! Theater Company, Inc.
56 Island Street
Lawrence, MA  01840
Tel: (978) 794-0001
 
Acting Out is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.  Fully Insured