Published: March 2, 2017
Roundtrip comedy
West Bend man plays part of balancing 3 women at once
ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043
Life was good for Bernard.
He had three women swooning over him, engaged to all three at the same time and none of them knew about the others.
It was perfect.
A technological advancement by Boeing changed that.
What ensues is a string of comical events as Bernard tries to keep all the women apart and as they learn about each other.
Opening Friday at the Schauer Arts and Activities Center, 147 N. Rural
St., Hartford, is “Boeing Boeing,” performed by The Hartford Players.
Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, as well as March 10 and March 11. There is a 2 p.m. show Sunday.
Tickets are $17 for adults; $14 for senior citizens and students.
The show is directed by Fred Wittenberger.
“It’s very comical,” Wittenberger said. “It’s a fun show.”
The script was initially written by French playwright Marc Camoletti
in the 1960s. It was adapted into English and ran for seven years in
London.
In 1965, the
show debuted in New York. In 1991, it was listed in the “Guinness Book
of Records” as the most performed French play in the world.
Wittenberger discovered the show while on vacation several years ago
in New York. When he goes on vacation, he’ll often see local theater
performances — a “play binge,” as he called it — looking for his next production. When he saw “Boeing Boeing,” it caught his attention.
“When a director sees a play, it’s usually not very enjoyable,”
Wittenberger said. “You’re always thinking about what you would do
differently. It can be very frustrating.
“But this one was thoroughly enjoyable. I could sit back, relax and enjoy it.”
Bernard, the story’s main character, is played by West Bend native Sean Keith.
“I play Bernard, who is definitely a player,” Keith said with a smile.
“He has three fiancees who don’t know each other and I’m very arrogant
and cocky, feel like I’ve learned the trick in life because I have three
fiancees.”
All three
women are flight attendants or hostesses working for separate airlines.
One hostess is American, one is Italian and one is French.
For a while, Bernard successfully juggles the schedule to see each of his women without overlap.
Then a revolutionary aircraft is introduced to help cut down travel time and the women’s paths begin to cross.
Keith is a veteran performer, who did some improvisational theater in
Chicago for nine years and two years in Los Angeles. He moved back to
Wisconsin in October.
“I just wanted to come back to Wisconsin,” Keith said, adding he
believed he explored all his options as far as a professional acting
career.
He also loved
the way of life in the rural Midwest compared to the hustle and bustle,
not to mention ultracompetitive days in Chicago and Los Angeles.
A few weeks after returning to Wisconsin, he auditioned for “Boeing Boeing” and landed the part of the lead male role.
It is his first performance with The Hartford Players and his first show since moving back to West Bend.
“The timing worked out great,” Keith said.
He got into the performing arts at the age of 24 when he went to a Comedy Sportz class in Milwaukee.
He moved to Chicago because he wanted to expand his improv ability and that city was the bigger scene.
“Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Vanessa Bayer, a bunch of people went (to
Chicago),” Keith, 37, said. “I went down there, took a bunch of classes,
performed there and had a great time.
“Chicago was a great scene because there are so many places you can learn from. ... I wanted to see where this path could take me.”
Keith’s forte is comedy. He’s always enjoyed it. He also liked the
immediate feedback you get in comedy — if someone laughs, you know
you’re doing a good job.
As a kid, acting was something Keith always wanted to do. He just
didn’t know how. Then a friend introduced him to a Comedy Sportz class
that started his acting career.
“This has been great,” Keith said.
Early on in the production process for “Boeing Boeing,” it was difficult for Keith.
“I haven’t worked with any of these people,” Keith said. “I didn’t know any of them until I rehearsed.
“It’s fun to perform with people I’ve never performed with.”
Keith downplayed his audition. Wittenberger saw it differently.
“He’s very comfortable on stage and he’s comfortable with his fellow actors,” he said.
While Bernard isn’t trustworthy, Keith is and he assures the audience an enjoyable experience.
“It’s a very funny, high paced, energetic, a bit crazy, a little lunacy,” Keith said.
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