When I was asked by Pam Hayes at Lemon Bay Playhouse to direct this play, I was absolutely delighted. The play features five Southern women who were in their college swim team. Since they graduated, they have met at the same cottage, on the Outerbanks of North Carolina, on the same weekend every August.
We first meet them when they are 44, then 49, then 54, then 77 and we laugh and cry with them throughout the course of the play.
I was particularly excited to get such a great cast to work with – all wonderful actors. Sherree – Kathleen Gallagher, Lexie – Tricia Petrinovich, Dinah – Trish Maxwell, Vernadette – Pam Hayes, Jeri Neal – Gina Scarda.
Pam was also the set designer and created a beautiful beachside cottage on the Lemon Bay stage.
We had such fun working together to bring this story to life. Rehearsals were full of laughter and when the performance time finally came, everyone managed to present their characters without laughing themselves.
Because the play took place over a period of 42 years, we needed to have a “Cottage Cleaning Crew” to change everything around as the years progressed.
We were fortunate to play to packed houses every night and the audience loved it. Here are a few scene shots taken during rehearsals.
One of the highlights for the girls in the cast was that, in the audience one night was a group of five women who were actually in their college swim team.
All in all, this was a huge success for Lemon Bay Playhouse, and in the end we all got together to celebrate. Pam gave everyone their own beach towel! All pictured here with Dottie Warner, our wonderful State Manager (without whom the show would not run)!
So, after it was all over, we all vowed to work together again.
