Stage Coach Players’ 2020 season begins with a visit to Mr. Green in its black box production of the touching comedy, Visiting Mr. Green. Directed by Scott Morris, this award-winning play by Jeff Baron tells the story of what happens when people from two different worlds are forced to come together once a week for six months.
Visiting Mr. Green opens Friday, January 31st and runs thru Sunday, February 2nd. It tells the story of an 86-year old Jewish widower, Mr. Green, who after nearly being run over by a car receives weekly court-ordered visits from Ross Gardiner, the man who was driving the car. The visits are to last for six months and initially Mr. Green is unwilling to receive the forced visits.
As time goes by, details are revealed about each and shared between them, touching on many topics we can all identify or connect with including family, agedness, faith and the preservation of Judaism. Morris said Visiting Mr. Green is, “a tale told with gentle humor, and great passion that goes first for the funny-bone but eventually grabs your heart.”
The cast features just two cast members. Bob Cain (Twelve Angry Jurors) plays Mr. Green and Mike Mattingly (Noises Off!) plays Ross Gardiner. Mattingly, who says has always been cast in comedies, saying, “The goofier and more slap-stickish, the better.” He added, “A dramatic role such as this will definitely put me out of my comfort zone, but the challenge of performing it is something I am very much looking forward to.”
A play such as Visiting Mr. Green offers the actors many challenges. Not only that there are only two actors, but that each must be able to keep audiences involved. Cain, who has performed in more than 20 plays at Stage Coach over his years said there are, “many mood swings you must make, some of which are rather rapid. There is confusion, anger, happiness in reminiscing. Offensive, defensive, remorse and forgiving.”
The play has been presented in 49 countries over the course of over 20 years, being translated into 23 different languages. In addition, the United Nations presented a reading of Visiting Mr. Green by Tony Award winner Eli Wallach. Morris last directed The Devil’s Disciple for Stage Coach in 2016.
Performances for Visiting Mr. Green are January 31st and February 1st with a curtain time of 7:30, along with a Sunday matinee on February 2nd with a curtain time of 2:00. Tickets are $5 each. To purchase tickets, visit our online website at www.stagecoachplayers.com. You can also call the Stage Coach box office which opens Sunday, January 26th. The phone number is 815-758-1940. Come visit your local Stage Coach family!
