SEP 07
2011
BY LORI DEMRES
Want to go?
• WHAT: "The Guys"
• WHEN: 8 p.m. Sept. 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 & 24; 2 p.m. Sept. 11 & 18
• WHERE: Harlequins Theatre, 414 Wayne St. Rear, Sandusky
• COST: $10/ticket
• INFO: 419-621-1311
On the tenth anniversary of 9/11, Harlequins Theatre has chosen to open its 84th season with Anne Nelson's "The Guys," a play that honors those who responded to the tragedy at the Twin Towers.
"I won't kid you, there are parts that are sad," said Jennifer Wertz, one member of the two-person cast. "But the overall show is uplifting in that we are honoring the fallen by sharing their stories. And there is humor in some of the stories. And it's okay to laugh at that humor, because the play is not a dirge. We are
celebrating these men's lives."
Director Lisa Wiley agrees.
"There are moments of levity, when the Captain, in remembering his guys, describes their personalities and their antics," said Wiley. "They were real people, and to keep them real he remembers the vulnerabilities and eccentricities, as well as their acts of heroism."
In celebration and commemoration, Harlequins is donating a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales to local first responder charities, including the development of a 9/11 memorial in Huron County using a support beam from the Twin Towers. First responders will also be granted free admission during the first weekend of the show.
"The Guys" is based on a true story. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Nick, a New York City fire captain (played by Rob Albach), must compose several eulogies for those he lost in the Twin Towers. Too overwhelmed and still struggling with such a great loss, he enlists the help of a writer named Joan (played by Jennifer Wertz), who guides him through his grief to re-discover and remember the
camaraderie and friendship he had with his colleagues.
Harlequins is actually reviving this show from when they first performed it five years ago. Both actors and the director returned for this event.
"I did it because it's a powerful show and a wonderful role," said Wertz. "I always look for shows that not only entertain, but educate and enlighten."
"You can never recapture the feelings that were present in a previous performance, just create new ones," said Wiley. "The enormous scope of the tragedy was something that most of us have never witnessed. I wanted to show the transitions people made in dealing with their own feelings, the emotions of those around them and the interaction of both."
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