While many theatregoers were happy to return to live theatre when the Winnipesaukee Playhouse presented a small, socially distanced season in early fall, others were not yet ready. The Playhouse heard from many theatre fans who were intrigued by the local setting of the Playhouse’s October production, No Wake by Erica Berman, but not ready to sit in an auditorium with others. In response, just prior to the show’s closing, the Playhouse hired a local filmmaker and filmed a special performance of the play which anyone across the country (and world) can view over Thanksgiving weekend.
The decks of two neighboring houses in Moultonborough are the setting of this new play which, over the course of a summer, illustrates a burgeoning friendship between a cynical local teenager and an irascible snowbird with a penchant for screaming at the jetskiers who disrupt his treasured loons. As the two unlikely friends navigate a generational divide, they learn that life experiences transcend age. In scenes both humorous and poignant, bonds form over loneliness and loss as both reveal secrets that impact their lives.
The play is directed by Samantha Tella who previously helmed hit Playhouse productions of The Graduate and Boeing Boeing. To add even more local flavor to the production, the cast consists of local professional actors Teghan Marie Kelly and Ray Dudley. Meredith native Teghan was last seen at the Playhouse in Beauty and the Beast and Mamma Mia! A Gilmanton resident, Dudley has won New Hampshire Theatre Awards for his work at the Playhouse including roles in Of Mice and Men, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Graduate.
No Wake will be available for streaming beginning at 3 p.m. on Nov. 26 and ending at midnight on Nov. 29. A $20 admission (plus a small online fee) allows patrons to view the production as many times as they’d like in a 48 hour period via their computer, phone, iPad, or another device with an internet connection. For more information, or to purchase an admission, visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.