Near the end of last Saturday’s sold out opening night performance, deferred by one day due to the snow storm, a Town Players’ actor was taken ill on stage during the show and will be unable continue in the play.
Soon after the curtain went down, the Town Players went in to “the show must go on” mode. Since New Canaan’s 63-year old community theatre group does not rehearse and cast understudies, when an emergency occurs, someone close to the show steps in. (Actors Sheri Dean, Patrick Kiley and Kyle Runestad have done so in recent times.) In this instance, director Tim Cronin asked Town Players president Robert Doran to consider going on in the part of garage owner Jack. Mr. Doran went home to study the script. Around noon on Sunday he came to the theatre and went over his blocking with the director. The Weir’s cast then rehearsed the show straight through once with him, took a short break, and played the matinee. As he did in 1994 when called upon suddenly to appear as the permanently paralyzed sculptor Ken Harrison in Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Mr. Doran will continue for the run of the show to perform “on book.” By reading from the script and not attempting memorization of a nuanced and long leading role, his goal is to fit seamlessly into the production. In the hands of an experienced performer, the audience within a few minutes forgets an actor has script in hand.
Mr. Doran was a series regular on Love is a Many Splendored Thing and spent 10 years starring on Another World. He appeared in 100s of commercials, guest starred in network television series, feature films, and appeared on stage including appearances at the Pittsburgh Public (Macbeth under Ben Shacktman), and the John Drew Theatre (There Must Be A Pony under Anthony Stimac and James Kirkwood). His local theatre credits include: Sterling Barn: The Fragile Fox; Westport Community Theatre: Arms and the Man; Town Players: Da, Forty Carats, Beyond Suspicion, Whose Life Is It Anyway, Love Changes Everything (co-writer/producer), and Love Letters.
Following last Sunday’s matinee, the nearly sold out house accorded the cast “Bravos” at curtain call. Performances of Conor McPherson’s award winning play The Weir continue at the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park through March 13th. For tickets, please call (203) 966-7371.
