Memo from the RTC: A “Follies” Fearsome Foursome

This afternoon will be our 3rd performance of Follies at the Post theater at Fort Tilden.

Memo from the RTC: A “Follies” Fearsome Foursome

By Norm Scott

http://www.rockawave.com/news/2016-06-03/Community/A_Follies_Fearsome_Foursome.html

June 3, 2016

Hell week is on for the Rockaway Theatre Company production of “Follies”, opening Friday June 3 and running for 10 performances over 3 weekends. “Follies” is a complex show with a very large cast. At a 30-year reunion of a theater group, the heart of the storyline involves two couples who met as youngsters in a theater experience and got married – to the wrong people. A lot of stuff comes out in the wash of the reunion. The creative element is that each of the four people have their younger counterparts as ghosts – and all eight are on the stage at the same time, at times the older versions trying to advise their young selves, naturally to no effect. The senior characters are played by veteran RTC stars. Jodee Timpone, John Panepinto, Susan Corning and Adam Davis.

Jodee and Susan have been mainstays of the RTC taking on many acting roles in addition to backstage work and serving on the Board of Directors of the RTC. Susan starred in “Lost in Yonkers” and directed “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Gypsy.” She will be directing the upcoming “Wait Until Dark” this fall.

Jodee has starred in many RTC productions, including “Moon Over Buffalo”, “Cactus Flower” and spent 30 seconds as my wife in the opening scene of “Gypsy Guys and Dolls” before leaving me to join the Salvation Army.

John has been in almost every show for the past few years, from playing leads “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” and “Damn Yankees” to small roles in plays like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” John is a triple threat as an actor, singer and dancer.

I first saw Adam in “Damn Yankees” and he has become an integral part of the RTC family with parts in various productions since then. In “Follies” he steps up to a lead role and is also a triple threat with his singing, dancing and acting.  Adam, a SAG actor, had a pre-RTC life in opera and as a producer of local sketch comedy.

The young versions of the characters (who I will profile next week) exhibit the enormous excitement of the total theater experience, which the kids playing the roles are themselves experiencing by being in this show. Many of the youngsters  came up through the RTC children’s program managed by “Follies” co-director Peggy Page are have graduated to the main stage, some middle and high school students and taking on major responsibilities. I can just imagine them at an RTC reunion – in 2046.

Opening night is Friday June 3 at 8:00 PM and will run for 10 performances over 3 weekends, including an added Thursday evening, June 9.

Visit www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org or call the Hotline: 718-374-6400 to reserve your seats.