A homegrown comedy based on a hilarious true story is set to yield hearty laughs at the Drayton Festival Theatre.
Trading in their farmhouse, fresh air and fields for a condo, city lights and cement, a rural Ontario couple are in for an uproarious adventure in Ken Cameron’s hit comedy Harvest, on stage from July 12 to 30.
Based on true events, the story follows Allan and Charlotte, retired farmers who say goodbye to the crops and cattle and head for a comfy condo in the city. Hungarian neighbour Istvan buys the farmland but the couple retains the house as an income property – ultimately renting it to Ron, a seemingly nice young pilot. It doesn’t take long for Istvan to become suspicious of the new tenant and when Allan and Charlotte return to the neighbourhood to pick raspberries across the street (and check in on the house), they soon realize their high flying pilot had plans for an entirely different type of crop … a particular crop that one might call the ultimate cash cow.
The story is brought to life by director Marti Maraden. No stranger to Drayton Entertainment, Maraden previously directed Looking, Deathtrap, Tuesdays with Morrie, among others. She is also a seasoned actor and served as the artistic director for the National Arts Centre English Theatre for many years.
Maraden is joined by set designer Allan Wilbee, costume sesigner Kimberly Catton and lighting designer Louise Guinand.
A small but mighty bumper crop of talent has been assembled for this rural Canadian comedy.
Veteran actors Gabrielle Jones and Rob McClure play not only the unwitting couple Charlotte and Allan, but all the other characters as well – the Hungarian neighbour, pushy real estate agent, hard-nosed insurance broker, gossipy church ladies, the cynical police detective … not to mention a ferocious guard dog.
Tasked with changing physical stature and voices faster than lightning, Jones and McClure will instantly transport themselves in and out of characters as required with the help of shrewd accessories and costume pieces.
Regular performance tickets are $46 for adults and $27 for youth under 20 years of age and $36 for groups of 20 or more.
Harvest runs from July 12 to July 30. Tickets can be purchased in person at Drayton Festival
Theatre, online at www.draytonentertainment.com or by calling the box office at 519-638-5555 or toll free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866).
