By Bill Lockwood
Arts Correspondent
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — For months on end entertainment venues across New Hampshire and Vermont have been forced to dim the lights and close the doors on indoor performances.
But in Springfield that all changed on Friday.
Live, indoor theatre returned to the Springfield Community Players’ studio theatre located at 165 South St. with its production of “Marjorie Prime” by Jordan Harrison. The theatre will continue with shows on Friday, Aug. 20, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 21, at 2 p.m.
This production was originally scheduled to start the organization’s celebratory 100th anniversary season. Unfortunately, the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic changed that when the entire season was cancelled in March 2020.
“It’s been a difficult year,” said Springfield Community Players president John MacDonald. “The last time we performed on stage was November of 2019.”
Opening night the audience was treated to a brief, but well done, slide presentation of photos spanning the 100 years of the organization’s personnel and productions. It fit the celebratory feeling and spirit of the cast, crew, and management to be once again presenting live theater with a live audience in Springfield. And the state COVID-19 restrictions for that night allowed for full occupation of their 100-seat theater. This was also the first time the theater was in public use with the newly-installed 100-year commemorative sculpture by local artist Raymond Lacasse of a modern version of the traditional comedy and tragedy masks in Springfield colors of green and white that now sits near the entrance. It compliments their new sign that proudly proclaims “since 1920.”
“Marjorie Prime,” however, deals more with the future than with the past. It is described as “a futuristic story that addresses heavy emotional topics, artificial intelligence, and dementia.” As a play it premiered at the Mark Tapper Forum in Los Angeles in 2014. Its author, Jordan Harrison, was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for the work the next year. In 2017, a film version premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
“I always want to challenge myself but I also want to challenge the audience because sometimes with theater you get stuck in a rut where you always do the same type of thing over and over,” said MacDonald, who directed this Springfield production in addition to being president. “And I want to bring something different . . . ‘Marjorie Prime’ was a good fit.”
MacDonald, in his third directing outing, has assembled an excellent cast of four who work very well together. And he has directed their interactions well. They play both human and artificial characters, two of whom are one or the other and two who play both at different times. The non-human characters are called “primes.” A “prime” is described as “an artificial intelligence or AI designed to look like loved ones who have passed . . . fed information and used as companions for the families or for whoever they are designed.”
Tuckerman Wunderle, who plays Marjorie’s deceased husband, is the only character who is a “prime” throughout. He plays it just stiffly enough to convince us he’s not quite human. He shows his versatility coming off quite different and very animated characters he portrayed playing multiple roles a few years ago on the same stage in the comedy “Greater Tuna.” Springfield Community Players “regulars” Anna Kendall and Todd Hutchinson play Marjorie’s daughter and son-in-law respectably. They play a scene together in the second act interacting in the best acting I have seen either of them do. Marjorie is played by Maggie McGlone-Jennings. It is a tough role that carries the show, and she shines. Marjorie is sinking into dementia, and she plays it well. She is a newcomer to the Springfield stage having recently re-located to Chester. She appeared locally once previously before COVID-19 stopped local productions with the Walpole Players in “Lost in Yonkers.” She is a veteran of Yale Drama School and summer stock on the Cape having played many, as she says, “small, medium, and big roles.” She says she “loves the play.”
“It’s such a complicated script. From the first time I read it I thought I understood it. Then I realized there was more.”
Sci-Fi is not a particular interest of mine, still this script tells a good story. The play tells a deep complex story dealing with memory and dementia, and the good cast makes the story work for everyone. McGlone-Jennings agrees. “It’s got so much in it about life. [There’s] so much more in the play than the Sci-Fi. It’s how the humans react to the situations. It’s about humanity and how our memories effect people.”
MacDonald has also brought in Dorothy Chansky as Dramaturge, a role she describes as “a spokesperson for the script” and “sometimes responsible for research and akin to a continuity person in film.” Chansky approached the director as she is doing research into dementia and theater. She is currently professor of theater and director of humanities at Texas Tech University. This past year her classes were taught via Zoom allowing her to be in Springfield, and next year she has a fellowship to finish writing a book, partly titled “Losing It” on the subject. For this production she says she has been, “providing character information on the progression of dementia and what the author was trying to convey.”
“It’s been interesting,” McGlone-Jennings said.
She added that she has never worked with someone in this role, though she likens it to when she has worked with playwrights with original plays.
We’ve had some great discussions on theater,” MacDonald said, “It’s been educational for me. It’s been an interesting journey.”
Special note should also be made of the set designed by MacDonald and Hutchinson. It was simple and functional so as not to overpower the acting. And the wall colors were pleasing and complimented the furnishings well.
Reservations and other information can be accessed at springfieldcommunityplayers.org. Or by calling the ticket box office at (866) 967-8167.
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