As the snow and wind blows on a dark cold Thursday night, the warm glow of a spotlight lights up the stage in Theatre Aurora.
After nearly two months of rehearsals, the community company is set to open its new show.
“We're all nuts, to spend the amount of time in that we do here,” said director Kay Valentine, ahead of Thursday’s dress rehearsal. “It surprises people that there was no money involved. It's a labour of love.”
The performers will be taking to the stage tonight, Jan. 24, at the community theatre on Henderson Drive for the opening performance of The Melville Boys.
The play was penned by Newmarket-born playwright Norm Foster, and tells the story of a weekend at the cottage for the Melville brothers, along with two sisters, while trying to come to terms with elder brother Lee's terminal illness.
The cast
Joey Nessuno, who plays Lee, had a long journey back onto the stage. He performed in a variety of theatre shows in high school, but put it on the back burner while he focused on his career as a medical research scientist and raising a family — with a side hustle as a musician
“I always wanted to come back to the theatre, so I did last year,” said the 47-year-old.
Fellow cast members Christian Tribuzio, who plays Lee’s brother, Owen Melville, and Kendall Zurowski, 25, who plays Mary, are making their debuts on the Theatre Aurora stage.
“I always thought it was Lee’s play, because he's the one dying,” said Christian Tribuzio, 32, who plays Owen Melville. “But it's not really because Owen's the one who's going to have to pick up the sh** if and when Lee dies, and so he has to accept that, so it's kind of more his play.”
Tribuzio added that all the characters go on a journey during the play, billed as an, at times, “heart-wrenching” comedy. Carly Alon Laurenza, 32, who plays the other sister Loretta, said the cast likewise has gone on a journey.
“I think the relationship we built offstage, the four of us, is reflected on stage more than it was at the beginning, because we definitely play off each other more now than we did,” she said.
Director
The show has an experienced hand on the tiller with director Valentine. She has been involved with community theatre for more than 40 years, both acting and directing in dozens of shows.
“I much prefer to be an actor,” said Valentine, 83. “But at my age, there are fewer and fewer roles, and therefore it's harder and harder to remember lines. So, my fallback is directing.”
“I never did it originally because I was a teacher. I directed all day long," she added. "I loved coming to the theatre and somebody telling me what to do. Then later on when I once I retired, I've been retired for 27 years, it was much easier to take on directing.”
Valentine's first appearance on the stage happened by chance, appearing in a comedy at the renowned Red Barn Theatre in Jackson's Point.
"The minute somebody laughed at me, I was hooked," she said.
In the director's chair, Valentine runs a tight ship.
“There's no room for egos and if people have them they should keep them hidden,” she said. “I hate warm-up games. I believe rehearsal time is sacred. If rehearsal is for seven to to nine, we are working from seven to nine,” she said. “That time is special, so you do warm up, you do that at home, you have your own method, whatever works for you to warm up. Here, we're here to do work.”
Back-stage
Behind the scenes there are a pair of fresh faces, with Pietra Bartola, 20, acting as stage manager and Michael Walters, 21, running the lighting. Both Aurora residents, Walters first got involved backstage during an elementary school production, while this is Bartola’s first time stage managing.
“It's really fun to see theatre from both sides, you just appreciate it all so much more, knowing what goes into it,” she said.
This is the company’s second of four shows planned for this season.
“It's been a journey back from COVID, getting the audience to come back, but they've been coming back with full force, really supporting the community, it makes us feel welcome again, people feeling happy and safe to come out,” said Barb Kwolek, the theatre’s marketing director.
The Melville Boys is on for two weekends from Friday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m., to Feb. 1, with matinee and evening shows on both weekends.
The show is being performed at Theatre Aurora, located at 150 Henderson Dr. Tickets can be purchased online.