Get ready for a slapshot of locker room humor as the Ladysmith Little Theatre’s production of The Good Game faces off October 26. The play, written by Roy Teed, tells the story of Zack, CJ, Pinkie and Charlie — four aging hockey players reunited for an old-timers game. “It’s a reunion game; 30 years after they won the Nestor Cup for the third and final time, they return to play the current Nestor Newtons,” said Mort Paul, director and cast member. “They’re a little nervous, because it’s been a long time since they’ve played together, and they’re also not in the shape they once were.” The play is staged in two acts — the first before the game and the second during. The characters are faced with old memories, camaraderie, rekindling old romance, all while facing the match of their lives. “It’s about changes in their lives but they turn out to be very much the same people they were 30 years ago,” Paul said. The Ladysmith Little Theatre first staged The Good Game back in 2009. “Subsequently, it’s been done a number of times all over the province, so it’s become quite popular,” Paul said. Turnout for the 2009 production was so successful that the theatre decided to bring it back for another period. “The characters are very familiar characters to anybody who’s in any kind of organized activity,” Paul said. “They’ve got different personalities that come out through the whole play. Everybody can identify with somebody in there.” The Good Game returns with four original cast members, Sherri McLean, Alan Watt and Mike Cooper, and Paul, and welcomes newcomers Dave Ehrismann, Gordon Ray and Torry Clark. Clark returns to the Little Theatre stage for the second time to play team captain Zack Taylor. “There will be non-stop laughter. When we read the script for the first time, we were almost crying it was so funny,” he said. “Any hockey fans would get a real kick out of it, and I know we’ve got a lot of those.” Clark first appeared earlier this year in the Little Theatre’s production of RolePlay. An accomplished voice actor, Clark is also appearing in the Yellowpoint Drama Group’s production of 1949, which is now playing, and will also play a role in Ladysmith Little Theatre’s upcoming musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Clark, a Cedar resident, said he has enjoyed the talent of his fellow cast members as they continue rehearsals three times a week. “They work professionally and they’re really fun to work with,” he said. “Mort has let me go with my own character. There’s a couple of things thrown in there that make Zack my own.” The Good Game plays Wednesdays to Sundays October 26 to November 6. To order tickets or access complete show dates and times, visit www.ladysmiththeatre.com or call 250-924-0658. “People just have to come out and see it and I know they’ll enjoy it,” Clark said. “It’s definitely a feel good kind of play.”

Ladysmith Chronicle