Follies Features best of both worlds
Past and future collide in Little Country Theatre’s newest production, “Follies: the Concert,” which is set to open in mid-February.
Director Don Larew chose the musical because it has never been done at NDSU, and it was a way to celebrate Little Country Theatre’s 100th year.
Larew had a very clear idea where he wanted to go with this production.
The biggest goal for “Follies” was “to encourage the interaction of current students with those in the field,” Larew said.
Unlike other musicals, Follies provides audiences with a unique cast. Alumni from NDSU will join the current cast of students.
The 19 alumni in the cast come from many different areas including Fargo, Illinois and Iowa.
David Anderson, who plays Buddy, is taking time off from his five-year tour with “Phantom of the Opera” to perform in this production.
Set in the 1970s, Follies tells the story of two former theater girls Sally and Phyllis and their husbands Buddy and Ben.
The girls receive word from their boss Dimitri Wiesmann that the old theater they performed at is about to be torn down to create a parking lot.
Weismann invites his old cast and crew back to the theater to say goodbye to the old days and reminisce about the past.
The two middle-aged couples agree to the invitation and make the trip. When they arrive at the theater, the former thespians begin reviving old acts and numbers.
The acting triggers different memories in the two couples.
They begin to relive their past experiences in love and life. Soon, it becomes difficult to tell the difference between the past and reality.
Although it has been fun bringing past and future together, it has not been easy.
Due to distance and other factors, some of the alumni will not be able to come until the week of the performance.
To remedy the problem, the understudies for these roles have been standing in for the missing alumni.
The understudies have been video taped and the video has been sent to the people who are unable to practice with the rest of the cast.
This ensures no one will walk into the performance completely cold because it gives the actor or actress an idea of where to stand at certain times and what the choreography for the dance numbers is like.
The musical numbers have been taped as well so the out of town alumni can become familiar with the music.
Despite all this, the process of putting the play together has been enjoyable.
Senior Natalie McComas, who plays young Phyllis, said it has been fun to work with the large cast of both students and alumni.
Follies will start at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15-17 and 2 p.m. Feb. 18 in Festival Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 dollars for adults, $10 for seniors, NDSU faculty and alumni.
NDSU students can buy tickets for $5. Tickets are available in the Reinke Fine arts Center or by calling 701-231-9442.