Winnipesaukee Playhouse Presents Last Night of Ballyhoo

LACONIA — Theatregoers who were delighted by The Winnipesaukee Playhouse's hit production of Driving Miss Daisy a few seasons back won't want to miss this season's The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Written by the same author, Alfred Uhry, nearly 10 years after Daisy's premiere, The Last Night of Ballyhoo earned a Tony Award for Best Play. The sweet family comedy will feature as the fourth play in The Winnipesaukee Playhouse's professional summer season in Weirs Beach.

Like Driving Miss Daisy, this play is set in the household of a wealthy Jewish family in Atlanta. It is December 1939, and the world premiere of the film Gone with the Wind forms the backdrop as the play begins. The play focuses on a bachelor businessman, Adolph Freitag, who lives with his widowed sister and sister-in-law and their respective daughters. One niece, Sunny, is visiting for the holiday season after a semester spent at

Wellesley College.

Caught up in the excitement of Gone with the Wind, the other niece, Lala, is a dreamer living at home who is often at odds with her overbearing mother, Boo, who would like nothing more than for Lala to settle down with a boy from one of the elite Southern Jewish families. Adolph interrupts the family routine by introducing Joe Farkas, a young New Yorker recently settled in Atlanta to work for his company, into the household. Then the question becomes which niece will Joe escort to the dance at the last night of Ballyhoo – the big end of year celebration at the local Jewish social club.

The play features Playhouse favorites including Richard Brundage, Donna Goldfarb, Dan Lendzian, Sasha Castroverde, Adam Kee and Rebecca K. Turner. NH Theatre Award-winning actress Cathy McKay makes her Playhouse debut. It is directed by Bryan Halperin.

"The family dynamics in this play are relatable to anybody'' Halperin says. "More overtly funny than Driving Miss Daisy, Uhry's characters in Ballyhoo are so well crafted that audience members will laugh with recognition at the family's interactions. The audience will root for Joe to end up with his perfect match, Lala to find her happiness, Boo to find contentment, and Adolph to simply enjoy a good meal in peace and quiet. This is a play

that is extremely entertaining yet reminds us of the importance of family in all of our lives."

The Last Night of Ballyhoo may not be suitable for children under the age of 12. Tickets cost $24 for adults and $22 for seniors/students. There are performances Mondays at

2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. frpm from August 1-11. The play is generously sponsored by The Laconia Daily Sun and The Fitness Edge.

For more information about performances visit www.winniplayhouse.org. Tickets can be booked by calling (603) 366-7377 or stopping by the theatre located in the Alpenrose Plaza in Weirs Beach.

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The Last Night of Ballyhoo opens tonight and runs through August 11 at the Winnipesaukee Playhouse. (Courtesy photo)