'A Company of Wayward Saints' Opens Feb. 7

Tehachapi Community Theatre continues it's all-comedy season with George Hermann's farce "A Company of Wayward Saints," about a traveling troupe of comedians who loose their way in multiple ways, leading to hilarious results.

Since the show opens Feb. 7 and plays through Feb. 23, to bring out the romantic in everyone TCT is making a special Valentines offer: if you purchase your tickets on line at http://www.tctonstage.com before the end of January, you may write a message to your sweetie that will be published in the program (25 words or less).

Directing is Shanan Harrell, who was last seen in "Red Velvet Cake War" as the boyish Jimmy Wyvette, and who also directed last season's world premiere comedy "Tenants." Since "Saints" is a comedy about improvisation, the production is kept current by a very inventive cast containing many of TCT's most skilled and popular actors.

In this script, the actors have been playing their same role in improvisations so long that they no longer remember their real names, and go by their character's names. Spencer James is the character Scapino (literally, "escape") who runs from troubles, especially those he starts. As a traditional figure, he's been featured in comedies from 15th Century Italy to Moliere to modern plays.

James quips "this is the most audience interactive play I've every been a part of. It's hard work and great fun at the same time." Regarding rehearsals, he noted that "Every day I think 'I've seen this so many times, I'm not going to laugh ever again' but some new gag gets added, and it cracks me up. We all laugh constantly."

Also appearing as the child-like and amorous Harlequin is Thaer Irvin seen romanatic leads in Camille, Almost, Maine and last spring's musical. As the mean and miserly old man Pantalone is long time TCT favorite Gary Mazzola who last comic outing was in "The Sunshine Boys." The bold, swaggering and cowardly Capitano is Jonathan Hall, notable in TCT's own improve troupe, and in Taming of the Shrew. The pompus and fraudulant Dottore is Doug Jockinson, who partnered with Mazzola in Sunshine Boys, and as the shopkeeper in "Little Shop of Horrors."

Tristano, a character that originated in medieval romances, is played by Garrett Lawrence, of "Little Shop" and "Tenants" for two romantic examples; his counterpart is Isabella performed by Ashley Rasmussen, Lawrence's partner in Tenants. Playing Ruffiana, a charcter noted for foiling young lovers, we have Rebecca Wilson, last seen as the quirky neighbor in "Cake Wars" and as the comic Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls."

Finally, one of TCT's most noted and popular actresses and directors, Monica Nadon plays the role of Colombine, often a romantic counterpart to Harelequin and frequently seen as a servent to Isabella. Nadon's most recent stage appearances were in Almost, Maine and Cake Wars.