The Valley Players will present “The Great Gatsby: A Live Radio Play” from October 7-23 at the Valley Players Theater, on Main Street (Route 100), Waitsfield. Show days and times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. The show will be styled as a 1940s live radio broadcast, with an ensemble of six actors bringing to life more than two dozen characters from the novel. Sound effects will be created live on stage and the show will be punctuated by 40’s-era commercials.
The show was adapted for the stage by Joe Landry and draws from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beloved classic, telling the story of triumph and tragedy that reflects the decadence of the Jazz Age and the perils of the American Dream. The cast includes Aric Brown (Middlesex) as Jay Gatsby; Sarah Debouter (Waterbury) as Daisy Buchanan and others; Tom Jaques (Barre) as Tom Buchanan and others; David Rapp (Montpelier) as Nick Carraway; and Charlotte Robinson and Marci Robinson (both of Warren) playing multiple roles. Kohl Comtesse (Montpelier) is the foley artist for the show, using an arsenal of props to create the sounds needed to embellish the story. Ashley Hall (Warren) and Susan Loynd (Fayston) serve as stage managers. The set, will reflect a 1940’s radio studio, is constructed by Doug Bergstein (Warren); musical accompaniment is composed by Kevin Connors and is performed by Daniel Bruce (East Montpelier), and the production is directed by Shannon Sanborn (Barre).
“The audience can expect to be swept back into the golden age of radio,” said Sanborn. “Don’t miss your chance to experience what it was like to be in a 1940’s studio audience.”
Tickets are available in advance with a credit card from www.valleyplayers.com, or by reservation by calling 802-583-1674. For reservations, cash or check is preferred. At this time, proof of COVID vaccination and masks are not required; the Valley Players will continue to follow recommended Vermont state guidelines at the time of the show.
