Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1478944
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 20 UCW SEPTEMBER 14 - 20, 2022 After a long, hot summer, the Gilbert eater's 2022-23 season is finally here. Opening this year's lineup with a bang, the theater's production of "e Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" will run from Sept. 16 through Oct. 2. e play, a classic western, is billed as a story of "good vs. evil, the law vs. the gun, and one man against Liberty Valance." A long-time actor with the company and Gilbert eater board member, Chris Walker, will slip into the direc- tor's chair. He is especially excited to bring this compelling and unique story to the Gilbert stage. "e Man Who Shot Liberty Va- lance," a tale of "love, hope, and re- venge set against the vicious backdrop of a lawless society," was originally a short story written by Dorothy M. Johnson in 1953; it was adapted for the stage in 2014 by Jethro Compton. e story received its widest recog- nition from the 1962 film starring John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. e Gilbert's production will lean more heavily on Compton's adapta- tion than the movie, keeping an eye on the story's female lead, Hallie Jackson, played by Claudia Warga-Dean. Keeping the play female-focused and female-driven was extremely important to the production. Walker feels Warga-Dean's treatment of Hallie Jackson is integral to the play. "[is has] turned into such a beautiful project because of Claudia," Walker. "It speaks to the way the char- acter is written in the story. e humor comes from that character; she drives much of the play's emotion." Jackson's predicament — a woman caught in a love triangle between a taciturn cowboy and a worldly law- yer — may seem old-hat in a media environment saturated by such affairs. Still, the play's larger themes go hand-in-hand with the Gilbert's penchant for powerful story-telling. e importance of education, the idea of power promoting ignorance, and the complexities of race are all touched upon in this play. Walker, a fan of westerns from a young age, also finds the genre a perfect playground for telling moral- ity tales and blending fantasy with history. "I've been dying to work a western on stage," Walker confessed. "is is a fairly recent adaptation, so it has a modern sensibility. Westerns have a sense of fantasy nowadays — even though it's historical. You get to play with modern ideas while dressing up, and the costumes ... are really fun." A wild-card choice for the start of the season, "e Man Who Shot Lib- erty Valance," is but a taste of the bold productions yet to come this season. Patrons should ready themselves for a season of familiar classics and provocative new stories. e Gilbert eater's commitment to the craft of theater is a major draw for directors like Walker. He especially credits the dedica- tion and professionalism of the actors for such a positive experience as the play has developed from auditions to rehearsals and, soon, opening night. "I love the collaboration," Walker said. "You're going to run into a lot of egos in theater, but the people here understand it's about the art." Showtimes are 8 p.m. on Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. General admission tickets are $20. Discounts for students, senior citizens and the military are available. To purchase tickets, visit Gilbert- eater.com or call 910-678-7186. Gilbert Theater opens season with Liberty Valance western by ASHLEY SHIRLEY EVENT ASHLEY SHIRLEY, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910-484-6200 FREE HEALTH CARE • for Eligible uninsured Adults call 910.485.0555 Stephen A McDavid Financial Advisor 422 Mc Arthur Rd First Floor Fayetteville, NC 28311 910-488-3699