After presenting Treasure Island in early December, Cochrane Vision Theatre is back with another comedic production. The group will be presenting Always a Bridesmaid, which will be shown April 12 to 15 at the Cochrane RancheHouse.
The production is directed by JoAnn Ayotte, who said that this version of the play has a bit of a different touch to it than the rendition people have grown accustomed to.
“The play is about four friends that have known each other their whole lives and on their high school prom night and none of the four ladies have any dates. They ended up having a bit to drink that night and made a pact that once each of them found their true loves, that they’d be at each other’s weddings,” Ayotte said.
“One of the girls, Monette, has been married three times, so the other three girls have been their bridesmaids three times. Two of the other girls in Deidra and Libby-Ruth have been married once each, and then there’s Charlie. Charlie has never been married and she is a tomboy, likes messing around in the dirt and doesn’t like to shave so she’s never been married … but they’ve all been at each other’s wedding. Basically, the story is about loyalty and friendship.”
Ayotte, who was also the director of another production called Screw Tape, and has been with Cochrane Vision Theatre since its inception in the early 2000s, said she was looking to do more of a comedy type of show.
“With Screw Tape last year, it was more of a comedy drama, but mostly drama. This time I wanted to do something fun and light-hearted … and with it now being spring time, that means it’s wedding season,” Ayotte said.
“We had originally booked to do the play the weekend before the wedding show in Cochrane, but of one my actresses fell and broke her arm. So we postponed for a few weeks to allow her to heal. But even with that minor setback, it’s still wedding season and in all the years I’ve been directing plays, there’s not a lot of material out there for women in their 50s.”
“Sometimes you have a single role in a play when the actor or actress is older, but there’s six people in this play and five of them are in their 50s. It’s also harder to get men out to audition and act in plays, so I wanted to do something for the women. Always a Bridesmaid gives mature women a chance to have fun up on stage and it’s absolutely priceless and hilarious. It’s just been a really positive experience.”
The director said the preparation for the April shows have been coming along really well and she hopes that the community will enjoy all the work the cast and crew have put into the production.
“I’ve been very pleased. Everyone involved is completely 100 per cent dedicated to the production. I had to go to a wedding this past weekend and they still showed up to the Days Inn on Saturday and rehearsed,” Ayotte said.
“It’s really great to see. It’s also super nice to have that spot (at the Days Inn) that we used for rehearsal and they’ve worked with me since the very beginning to book open spaces. It’s nice to have that support from them.”
“As for the play itself, I hope the community realizes that just because it’s a so called amateur production, doesn’t mean it’s amateur talent. The ladies who are in the play have years and years of experience and then there’s a couple that don’t have as much, but all of them are so dedicated.”
“I think when the public comes, they are going to find that it’s very well acted, it’s genuine emotion and a comedic and absolutely hilarious play. … the humour is for everyone. Just because it’s about bridesmaids, doesn’t mean it’s a ‘chick flick.’”
Tickets for Always a Bridesmaid are going for $15 per person and are available at Sunset Ridge Pharmacy or at the door.
