Loads of Laughs To Come In Little Montgomery! by Ilana Jael
So… does anyone besides me remember a little thing called the “COVID-19 pandemic?” Oddly enough, I do indeed recall. But amidst all the terror and sorrow that characterized the maddening year of 2020, one of my fondest memories of it all is attending, as a newly crowned company member, an outdoor listening party celebrating the premiere of New City Players’ podcast adaptation of Stephen Brown’s Little Montgomery. Thus, I couldn’t be happier to find myself documentarian once more as we approach the exciting finale of NCP’s 2022-2023 season: a full-blown production of the play that inspired the pod!
The cast of New City Players’ production of Little Montgomery from left to right: Todd Bruno as Rick Montgomery, Elizabeth Price as Officer Patty, Krystal Millie Valdes as Megan, Timothy Mark Davis as Officer Chet, Casey Sacco as Kimmy, and Seth Trucks as Officer Larry.
Previously performed under the title Country Girls, the show is now named (partially) for the character Rick Montgomery, a pill-popping country singer whose kidnapping drives the plot. However, the unlikely perpetrators are not any seasoned crooks but rather a pair of teens, fiery sixteen-year-old Megan and her not-so-trusty slightly younger sidekick Kimmy. Wind of the incident quickly reaches hardass police chief Patty, bumbling officer Larry, and his equally inept protégé Chet. The madcap game of cat and mouse that ensues is full of what seems like endless twists and turns that propel this high-octane comedy toward a satisfying conclusion.
While you’d be right to expect plenty of hilarity from such an adventure, Little Montgomery also has plenty of poignancy as it delves into deeper themes, chief among them family: chosen family, given family, and the need each of us have to find out where we came from and seek a place we can belong. Characters cope with loss, reckon with failure; they are faced with hard truths and struggle with dark memories, coming head-to-head with the realization that some of their deepest yearnings may never quite be fulfilled.
Little Montgomery director, Michael Gioia
Yet, as I wrote in my review of the play’s podcast version, the last I would write before I became officially “biased” in NCP’s favor, the show is also one that manages to end “on a note of hope, if a hesitant one—on a note of wounds not healed but healing and something of the feeling of a slowly lifting fog.” Thus, though we mostly hope that they laugh their asses off, we’re also hoping that our audiences might come away moved by this sweet and southern story, or maybe even having discovered a smidge of hope themselves.
This particular show also promises to be a special one as the first in recent memory in which the majority of the cast consists of NCP ensemble members, all reprising their roles from the original podcast: Elizabeth Price as Patty, Timothy Mark Davis as Chet, Krystal Millie Valdes as Megan, and Casey Sacco as Kimmy. They will be joined by two more talented South Florida actors, Todd Bruno as Rick Montgomery and Seth Trucks as Larry.
Meanwhile, the play will be directed by another NCP ensemble member, Michael Goia, with NCP’s fearless leaders Price and Davis doing double duty as producers along with actors and Sacco additionally serving as costume designer! Ensemble member Ernesto Gonzalez will serve as sound designer in cahoots with ensemble member Alex Joyel who will be performing live music throughout the show. The rest of the production team will include Jordon Armstrong as set designer, Lovanni Gomez as lighting designer, Jameelah Bailey as Props Designer, Amber Mandic as Stage Manager, and Annabel Herrera as Assistant Stage Manager.
As for me, I’ll just be blogging along to it all throughout the rehearsal and performance process. And since we’re not holding a Forum this time around, I’ll be focusing less on any particular “issue” so much as on introducing you all to the amazing artists who’ll be bringing this story to life. Be sure to check back for future posts as we move along towards Little Montgomery, and it’s also not too early to start nailing down your tickets!
Little Montgomery
by Stephen Brown
Directed by Michael Gioia
Megan and Kimmy are sixteen-years-old, best friends, and currently planning to commit grand larceny against country music star Rick Montgomery at his concert tonight. As they put their plan into play, songs will be sung, secrets will be revealed, and teenage girls will find out how difficult it is to exact revenge. Check out our podcast series adapted from this play!
WHEN
July 6-23, 2023
WHERE
Island City Stage
TICKET PRICE
$20-35