  Bryan Burke as Lee; Emily Bach as Mary Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents the Midwest premiere of The Melville Boys by Norm Foster review by Ed Vincent Another star shines bright on the Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and their production of Norm Foster's "The Melville Boys." The setting feels a bit like a production of on Golden Pond, but soon is filled with characters emerging from a dream of the lower working class. Their are enough surprises around every corner in the drama and don't think that you will see them all coming straight at you. The acting is fabulous and the cast is right on the money. The four actors, two men and two women take us down a journey that shows the diverse sentiments and views of life within two separate families, between siblings. Dysfunctional is a hallmark word for these adults, but resolution is just an existential walk down the path of life, and for some the path leads to the water and without pants. It reminds me a bit like a "Street Car Named Desire" mixed with "A Long Day's Journey Into Night," and topped off with a smiling Jethro chasing the gals. It is not dull, nor is it O'Neill, but it has a good many thinking and smiling parts for fans of live theater. Nicely done.  Simone Roos as Loretta; Adam Sweders as Owen Buffalo Theatre Ensemble presents the Midwest premiere of The Melville
Boys
Cabin Pressures… Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) presents the Midwest premiere of Norm Foster’s touching play, The Melville Boys, directed by Kurt Naebig, about brothers, sisters, rivalry and secrets in a Michigan cabin on the lake. (Contains adult themes and language.) It runs from Saturday, July 5 to Sunday, July 27, at the McAninch Arts Center, (the MAC) 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. Norm Foster is Canada’s foremost playwright. With more than 40 plays and musicals to his credit, he has produced an astonishing output of work including The Affections of May, the most produced play in Canada in a single year. However, The Melville Boys is Foster's signature play and the one that brought his name to the forefront of Canadian theatre. The Halifax Daily News said, “Norm Foster is Canada's most-produced dramatist, and no wonder. His snappy dialogue, everyday situations and gently balanced characters dare to represent that great, under-represented middle of North American society." “I have loved and wanted to direct this play for years,” said director Kurt Naebig. “It is wildly funny and touches the heart in the same way Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers does.” The play concerns brothers Owen and Lee Melville who arrive at their aunt and uncle's cottage for a weekend of fishing and beer. Lee, a quiet, responsible married man, hopes to get Owen, his irrepressibly lively brother, to face some serious news about the future, with realistic maturity. But before they get the junk food unpacked, Owen has hailed two beautiful women boating on the lake. They are sisters – Mary and Loretta – who are also dissimilar. The eldest is steady and unselfish, and the younger sister is a free-spirited flirt who is made to order for Owen. Immediately, Owen is making plans for all four of them, even his married brother, creating unexpected mayhem, delightful temptations, tears and laughter. Director Kurt Naebig has performed in and directed numerous Buffalo Theatre Ensemble productions, where he is a resident company member. A Juilliard graduate, Naebig studied at Moscow School of the Arts in Russia and has worked at Steppenwolf, Portland Stage, Milwaukee’s Pabst Theatre, National Jewish Theater and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Directing credits with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Nocturne, Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, The Country Club, Fuddy Meers, Sylvia and Lost in Yonkers. Kurt is also a teacher and acting coach at the Acting Studio Chicago. In addition, Naebig works in film and television with roles in Road to Perdition, Dillinger, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and multiple episodes of Prison Break and ER. Most recently, he worked as an actor for ten weeks on the Johnny Depp/Christian Bale/Michael Mann film, Public Enemies, which will be released in July, 2009. The cast of The Melville Boys includes Buffalo Theatre Ensemble member Bryan Burke as Lee; Adam Sweders as Owen; Emily Bach as Mary; and Simone Roos as Loretta. “I am excited about the strength of the cast,” Naebig said. “Each actor brings immeasurable creativity to his or her role. As a director, it is so gratifying to have the bird’s eye view of the play and see positive changes happening as we work.” Dates and show times for The Melville Boys are: 8 p.m. Thursdays, July 3 (preview), 10, 17 and 24; 8 p.m. Fridays, July 11, 18, 25; 8 p.m. Saturdays, July 5, 12, 19, 26; and 2 p.m. Sundays, July 6, 13, 20 and 27. Tickets for the preview on July 3 are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors. Tickets for Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays are $27 for adults, $25 for seniors. Saturday performances are $30 for adults, $28 for seniors. To purchase tickets, call (630) 942-4000 or visit www.AtTheMAC.org. About the McAninch Arts Center The McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is a state-of-the-art facility bringing professional theater, music, dance, comedy, opera and visual art to the residents of Northern Illinois. Housing three distinctive performance spaces and an art gallery, the facility has a unique design that allows patrons to experience all the arts under one roof. Since its opening in 1986, more than one million people have attended performances, gallery exhibits and events. The MAC scheduled more than 250 performances during 2006-2007 alone, bringing in more than 65,000 patrons from the Chicago region and beyond. In addition to presenting touring artists, the MAC houses five resident professional companies, including Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, New Philharmonic Orchestra, DuPage Opera Theatre, Arts Center Jazz Ensemble, and New Classic Singers. The MAC also maintains a robust community outreach program with initiatives such as its SchoolStage program, which connects performers and students for an interactive, educational arts experience. Because of its efforts to increase community access to the arts, the MAC has earned the Illinois Arts Council’s Partners in Excellence designation, which recognizes 40 of the most significant cultural institutions throughout the state. The MAC is 30 miles west of Chicago in central DuPage County, near I-88 and I-355 and offers free parking and discounted rates for groups and outings. For tickets and information, call 630- 942-4000 or visit www.AtTheMAC.org. ### The mission of the McAninch Arts Center is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. http://www.cod.edu/artscntr/events.htm http://www.cod.edu/artscntr/ From East Take westbound Interstate 290 (Eisenhower Expressway) to westbound Interstate 88 (East-West Tollway), exit on Route 53 North. Drive north on Route 53 to Butterfield Road (Rt. 56), West (left- about a mile ) to Park Boulevard. Right on Park to Fawell Boulevard. West to college Arts Center.  |
