Hovey Players Presents Joined At The Head By Catherine Butterfield
Hovey Players of Waltham continues its 74th theatrical season with performances of Joined at the Head by Catherine Butterfield. Directed by Burlington resident Karen Dervin, Joined at the Head follows a famous writer who returns to her hometown on a book tour and reconnects with her past. The play is a colorful reflection on the process of art and the discovery of friendship. Performances run from January 15 to 30 at the Abbott Memorial Theater on Spring St, located next to the Waltham Public Library.
The cast of Joined at the Head includes local actors Kate Blair (Concord), Stephanie Garris and Allison McCann (Dorchester), Cliff Blake (Lexington), William McGregor (Lowell), Brian Zifcak (Maynard), Vivian Liu-Somers (Newton), Jennifer Hopkins (Swampscott), and Ellen Robinson (Waltham).
“When I read this play, I was immediately caught by the ease of the dialogue and the real situations that the characters were dealing with – nothing stagey or presentational about them,” said director Karen Dervin. “I wanted to show that while something like cancer has a huge effect on people’s lives, it’s not really about the disease itself, but how relationships are affected by it. Extreme situations can bring people together or drive them apart, and I really love the humanity of these characters.”
She continued, “The fact that these people have a 20 year history means that they are bringing baggage to the table when they meet again and that impacts how they view and relate to each other. An interesting aspect of this show is that it examines how we measure personal growth and what we value most in our lives, and questions the definition of a successful life. There is an important message in this play that life should be lived to the fullest no matter how much time you’re given.”
Hovey Players offers quality theater, affordable ticket prices, and free parking at the intimate, 52 seat Abbott Memorial Theater on 9 Spring Street in Waltham, Mass. (next to the Waltham Public Library). Performances of Joined at the Head are at 8 p.m. on January 15, 16, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 30; and at 2 p.m. on January 24. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for seniors and students. For reservations, email reservations@hoveyplayers.com or call 781-893-9171.
Hovey Players is also proud to announce the second year of its successful Hovey Gives Back program, which allows each director the opportunity to help raise awareness for a charitable organization of his or her choice. The designated organization for Joined at the Head is Planet Cancer (www.planetcancer.org), a community of young adults with cancer.
About Hovey Players
Hovey Players has been Waltham’s community theater since 1936, featuring regional talent both onstage and behind the scenes. An inexpensive alternative to theater hosted in Boston with five full productions each year, Hovey Player’s 2009 – 2010 season includes Boeing-Boeing by Marc Camoletti, The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard, Joined at the Head by Catherine Butterfield, The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane, and Doubt by John Patrick Shanley.
