Play tells story of how older folks care
By Casey Gillis on May. 15, 2008
Something has to get stuck in Tom Stephens’ mind before he’ll write about it.
“I don’t know why a particular incident or character does that,” says the playwright and just-retired Randolph College theater professor. “I discover that I keep going back and turning (that idea) over (in my head).”
One of those ideas resulted in the play “Champagne Sundays,” which he penned more than five years ago. It first premiered at the Pittsburg New Play Festival, and Stephens is now staging a production of it at Renaissance Theatre starting this weekend (see box for dates and times).
He’ll also take it on the road this summer for five performances at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, D.C.
The play is about two retired couples who meet in a gated seniors’ community in Florida.
“They become friends and then best friends, and their lives become inextricably bound to each other,” Stephens says. “Their identities come to be defined by their relationships with each other.”
He was inspired to write it after hearing a story about two retired couples. One of the husbands passed away, and the remaining man felt responsible for both wives, he says.
“The situation is something that appealed to me,” he says. “It would be very easy to make this a story about someone dying, but that isn’t what I wanted. I wanted it to be about their lives.”
The play opens with the death of one of the husbands. From there, the past and present intermingle as we get glimpses of events that happened before his death.
“It’s a poignant story that isn’t really approached very often,” says Renaissance Theatre owner Tom Nowell. “It’s emotionally draining because you sit back and put yourself in these situations.”
Stephens says that while it’s an emotional play, it’s not all depression, all the time.
“It’s a serious topic, but there are really some very light, warm and even tender moments,” he says. “I can’t write anything that doesn’t have a little humor in it.”
IF YOU’RE GOING:
-- WHAT: ‘Champagne Sundays’
-- WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and May 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31; 3 p.m. May 25
-- WHERE: Renaissance Theatre, 1022 Commerce St.
-- TICKETS: $15 for general admission; $13 for seniors 60 and older and groups of 10 or more; $10 for students
-- INFO: (434) 845-4427
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