OCT opened its 45th season with a delightful comedy, “Barefoot in the Park.”
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Already have an account? Log in to continue. Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
Please log in to continue |
Okeechobee Community Theatre opened its 45th season with a delightful comedy, “Barefoot in the Park.”
“Barefoot in the Park” was first introduced to audiences in 1967 with a film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. It was written by Neil Simon and illustrates the ups and downs of a newly married couple. A conservative young lawyer and his vivacious and high-spirited wife move into their first apartment, a rundown fifth-floor walk-up with some unusual neighbors.
Corie Bratter is played by newcomer to theater, Emily Hilderbrand. Though she has never been onstage before, Hilderbrand has the timing and comedic style of someone who has been performing for years. She does a wonderful job portraying the young, carefree new bride. Be prepared to laugh as you watch her fling herself on the floor and drape herself over chairs, using every prop on the set to help her convey her excitement or boredom or anger.
Paul Bratter is played by Joshua Boon, who has appeared in several previous productions of the community theatre as well as some of the Okeechobee High School plays. Boon is believable as the young attorney and does a great job playing the straight man to Hilderbrand’s flamboyant character.
Kirby Gilbert is also new to the stage but shines as excentric neighbor Victor Velasco, the man who lives in the attic. Velasco is a bit of a freeloader but is charming and loveable, and Gilbert portrays this well with his accent and mannerisms.
Jane Kaufman Robards has been performing on the Okeechobee Community Theatre stage since childhood and is not afraid to get her hands dirty working backstage as well. Kaufman plays Mrs. Banks, the mother of young Corie. Mrs. Banks and her daughter are nothing alike and struggle to find common ground in their relationship.
Harry Pepper, the telephone repairman, is played by James Garner, who has become a regular to the community theatre since he and his family moved to Okeechobee. Garner is not only a performer but is also a director and has been a big part of carrying on the theatre since Ron and Jacque Hayes retired.
Harvey Newman is also a newbie on the stage, playing the delivery man who must climb all five flights of stairs while carrying boxes. Newman may be new on the stage, but he is an old hand at working behind the scenes.
The entire cast did a great job on opening weekend despite a few catastrophes, such as the stove falling apart as Corie attempted to light it, and a table falling to pieces as she tried to carry it out of the room. Because of the professional way the actors handled these occurrences, the audience was left wondering if these things were supposed to happen or not.
The show was directed by Tina Welborn, who has also been onstage at the community theatre many times. Welborn is known for her gift with comedy but enjoys working backstage as well.
The play is stage managed by Grace Morgan with Chloe McCullers assistance. Laura Murray handled lighting. Randy Worth and Lillian Stephenson are the stage crew, and Caroline Crews and Jane Robards are in charge of photography and marketing.
If you are looking for some fun for this weekend, you still have a chance to enjoy the play. They will be performing again on Nov. 1 & 2 and 8 & 9. Friday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday performances begin at 2 p.m.
The Okeechobee Community Theatre can be found at Okeechobeecommunitytheatre.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/okeechobeecommunitytheatre. They can be reached via email at Okeecommunitytheatre@gmail.com.
Shows are held at the Okeechobee Freshman Campus behind Golden Corral in the spring, fall and winter.