By By JESSICA SIEFF / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN – The stage is ageless. Community theater has been in existence since before the days of Shakespeare and from dramatic tragedies to vaudevillian extravaganzas – people have enjoyed taking part in the dramatics of it all.
The Tin Shop Theatre in Buchanan has been engaging residents throughout the area with live theatre and its latest performance of "Dastardly Doctor Devereaux" directed by Sarah Dickey, hopes to continue the tradition.
"It's a melodrama," said Dickey. "So it's very over the top." The story, she adds has its elements – it's villains and villanesses. It's heroes and heroines.
The cast has been preparing for three and a half weeks, Dickey said. "Which is a very, very tight schedule."
'Devereaux' is described as the story of the sinister Dogsbreath Devereaux, a doctor who sets his sights on Lotta Cash. Cash is a wealthy widow with a lot of money and a medical clinic Devereaux hopes to inherit. Devereaux's intentions, of course, are anything but honorable – as he pledges to wed Hilda Hatcher, a less than admirable nurse.
"We kind of incorporate a lot of time periods in it," as well, said Dickey. The doctor is a busy man – later infuriating Hatcher when he begins to show affection for heroine Wendy March. And as if that isn't enough – there's still Dr. Phil Good – the hopeful hero, who may be the only one to save Cash and March from falling victim to Devereaux's dastardly plots.
The production is made up of 16 cast members, two technicians and two directors.
Dickey said she thinks people should come out to support community theaters like the Tin Shop because "it's people from their community … it's always nice to have that camaraderie and that family feel. And everyone enjoys a night at the theater."
And performances at the Tin Shop are no ordinary performances. "It's an interactive show," said Dickey. A designated member of the theater is armed with signs instructing the audiences to 'boo' or 'hiss' at the villains – and audience members are sometimes even given miniature bean bags to toss at them as they move about the stage.
Just one day before opening night, the cast scrambles about the stage getting into costume as Dickey takes a seat in the front row. It's time for each character to take his or her place and prepare for when the audience fills those seats, waiting in anticipation to see if Devereaux will succeed – or if the heroes will triumph. "If (people) want to have a good time, come out here," said Dickey, shortly before turning her attention back to her cast.
Dastardly Doctor Devereaux is playing at the Tin Shop Theatre in Buchanan now. Showtimes are: Friday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. and matinee performances on Sunday, June 22 and Sunday June 29 at 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.tinshoptheatre.org or for reservations, call 695-6464.