Rare live theatre performance of Oscar-winning “Ordinary People”
Town Players of New Canaan’s Upcoming Production Tells a Powerful Story of Love, Hope and Redemption
Town Players of New Canaan’s upcoming live theatre production of Ordinary People is anything but ordinary. The play, based on the Oscar-winning movie starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Timothy Hutton, will open Feb. 17 and run through March 5 at the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park. Town Players is one of just two theatre organizations in the U.S. this year to produce this searing yet heartwarming story of an ordinary family struggling to heal from an unexpected tragedy.
The Ordinary People script, written by Nancy Gilsenan, demands challenging performances of its actors as it tackles a rollercoaster of emotions, from grief, loss and guilt to love, hope and redemption. Town Players is thrilled to meet these demands with a superb cast from local talent across Fairfield County. Veteran actors Eric Dino, Will Jeffries and Kitty Robertson are returning to the Powerhouse stage along with Cooper Smith and Gus Botazzi. The cast’s teen members are gifted as well: Laszlo Balazs, Chandler Hall, Tyler Nuzzo-Dozier, and Ryan Overly-Ryan.
To help this brilliant ensemble portray its characters with empathy and authenticity, Town Players is partnering with New Canaan’s Silver Hill Hospital, a nationally recognized psychiatric hospital, for expert professional guidance. It is especially grateful to Dr. Michael Groat, Silver Hill’s chief clinical officer, for advising the cast. Dr. Groat will also be leading talkbacks immediately following each Sunday matinee, providing an opportunity for the audience to join a discussion about the performance with him, the cast and Deborah Burke, director of Ordinary People and president of Town Players.
Dr. Groat said: “I am honored to work with such a talented cast and crew to help them bring much-needed attention within our community to the “ordinariness” of including mental health in discussions about health. We hope that this moving story of Ordinary People will encourage conversation about mental health, destigmatize mental illness, and increase empathy for those who are struggling. After all, each of us is an ordinary person who, at any time, could experience sudden and unexpected tragedy. Our appreciation of these universal dilemmas reminds us of our shared humanity.”
Burke added: “Ordinary People is an incredibly powerful drama that will resonate with the audience on so many levels. It tugs at your heart as its characters each deal with a challenging situation in very different ways and ultimately prevail in healing and moving on with their lives. We are so excited to share its important messages with our community.”
Multiple organizations within New Canaan and the surrounding area are supporting Town Players in its effort to raise mental health awareness through this production of Ordinary People. In addition to Silver Hill Hospital, sponsors to date include: New Canaan Human Services; Walter Stewart’s Market; Karl Chevrolet; Carriage Barn Arts Center; CT Humanities; Connecticut Public; and Russell and Katie Barksdale.
Ordinary People will open Friday, Feb. 17 and run through Sun., March 5, 2023, at the Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park. Performances will be held Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM.
For tickets and more information, visit https://tpnc.org/shows/ordinary-people/.
Town Players is also hosting a benefit on Sat., Feb. 25, at Carriage Barn Arts Center in support of the New Canaan Urgent Assessment Program (NCUA), a collaboration between the Town of New Canaan and Silver Hill Hospital. The NCUA Program aims to connect those in urgent need of mental health treatment with a timely, psychiatric assessment and tailored referral for ongoing care. The program requires zero out-of-pocket costs from New Canaan residents for the assessment. Tickets to the event include admission to that evening’s performance of Ordinary People. Ticket sales open to the general public on Feb. 12. Visit TPNC.org\special-events for more information.
To explore sponsorship opportunities of Ordinary People, please email Town Players at info@tpnc.org.
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