Sisters Maggie and Wanda have this one, teensy little problem to iron out between them in Central Alberta Theatre’s first dinner theatre production of the season, Maggie’s Getting Married.
Before Maggie introduces her fiancé, Russell, to her older sibling, Wanda must agree not to steal him away — like she did all of Maggie’s former boyfriends, right through high school.
“Maggie is just this good, quiet girl, whereas Wanda is a sex kitten. Whenever Maggie’s boyfriends see Wanda, they are drawn to her like moths to a flame,” said Judith Moody, who’s directing the Norm Foster comedy that opens Friday, Nov. 4, at City Centre Stage in downtown Red Deer.
Feeling bad about her past transgressions, Wanda — who’s flown from her home in Vancouver to her hometown of Toronto for her sister’s wedding — vows to keep her mitts off Russell.
Then she meets him and is horrified.
On the eve of Maggie’s wedding, her maid of honour, Wanda, realizes she unknowingly had a drunken, one-night stand with Russell at a Las Vegas convention — after her sister got engaged to him.
Of course, all heck breaks loose with this realization in the comedy of errors by Foster, Canada’s prolific and most produced playwright.
“The play starts out being about a nice, family occasion and then, kapow! The whole thing blows open,” said Moody.
As Wanda weighs whether she should tell Maggie or confront Russell, the explosive situation takes quite a few unexpected twists and turns.
But Moody appreciates how Foster is able to shape characters as well as situations in his plays.
All of the family members are well-drawn and interesting, she said. Although they stand on the “comedic edge of normal,” Moody believes they will be thoroughly recognizable to an audience.
For instance, Maggie’s dentist father, Tom, is going through a mid-life crisis at the same time as he’s preparing to walk his youngest daughter down the aisle. Tom wonders whether it’s feasible to give up looking into people’s mouths for a living and instead make a career out of tickling the ivories in a piano bar.
Maggie’s mom, Cass, doesn’t have time to think about such frivolous matters, being in full-on wedding preparation mode. When her daughters ask her what post-marital sex is like, Cass snaps, “I’m too busy to think about housework.”
Moody said she’s enjoyed working with a cast that includes a couple of CAT veterans and four newbies, who are all keen and talented.
“They are there to work, and they’ve been warm and funny — and it’s just a beautiful thing to see.”
Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. show are $49.95 for the dinner theatre option (dinner is at 6 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. for the Sunday brunch), or $25 for the play-only option from Ticket Central.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com