Gropper & Hermann To Star in “Southern Comforts”

Ah the comforts of conversation...

By Doug Bechtel

The Actors Theater of Orcas Island announces five performances of “Southern Comforts” by Kathleen Clark. Suzanne Gropper and Ron Herman portray a widow and widower in this charming play that explores the trials and tribulations of finding love later in life. Gus and Amanda meet by accident and find common ground in baseball.

Gus is a cantankerous old widower who is set in his ways and has become a very self-centered person wanting to be left alone since the death of his wife. Then he meets an outgoing, saucy Southern widow, Amanda, when she comes to his door to drop off church offering envelopes. There is a thunderstorm and Gus grudgingly asks her to stay until the storm subsides. This forms the is the start of their relationship which has many ups and downs as they try to put away their personal preferences and preconceptions to find the happiness that has been absent from each of their lives. Their relationship grows and deepens as they try to meld two different life styles and give up long held opinions to make the relationship work. Love conquers all.

You will love these two characters as we see parts of ourselves in each of them. The New York Times called it “A delightful and sneakily sexy romance!”

This two person play, written in the late 1980’s by Kathleen Clark, has had many successful productions from New York City to Los Angeles with well known actors including Dixie Carter and Hal Holbrook and more recently Michael Learned and Grandville Van Dusen.

From laugh out loud funny to touchingly sweet this play is suitable for all ages although it may not interest preteens.

Performances will be at 7:30 pm at the Grange on Friday, June 3rd, Saturday, June 4th, Friday, June 10th, Saturday, June 11th and Sunday, June 12th. Tickets will be available at Darvill’s Bookstore, on-line and at the door. Tickets are $10 each. For more information, contact the director, Doug Bechtel at doug@orcasactors.com.