If you have ever been tempted to flee your own life to escape the mundane, take a ride in Becky’s New Car with the Many Hats Theatre Company.
The fifth play in their fifth season for the theatre group runs until Dec. 1 at the Cannery Stage in the Cannery Trade Centre on Fairview Road.
In the comedy, which has serious overtones, Becky Foster is caught in middle age, middle management and in a middling marriage — with no prospects for change on the horizon. She is married, with one son in college and living a perfectly ordinary life. Then one night a socially inept and grief-struck millionaire stumbles into the car dealership where Becky works. Becky is offered nothing short of a new life, and the audience is offered a chance to ride shotgun in a way that most plays wouldn’t dare.
“The whole thing about the new car is that it is sort of a metaphor for getting a new life. It is the classic tale of the grass being greener on the other side, until you take bite of it,” said Ed Schneider, publicist for Many Hats Theatre Company.
The play was written by Steven Dietz, an American playwright, who was named the most produced playwright in America in 2010. Variety called Becky’s New Car, “a smart, comic cruise through the perils of middle-aged longing and regret.”
Schneider said audience members near the front row should expect to be surprised.
“Becky talks a lot to the audience- or as we say in the theatre, breaking the fourth wall. The stage has three walls and the audience being the fourth and if you talk directly to the audience that is breaking the fourth wall. Becky actually does that in several really unique and hilarious ways. It is very fun the way it is written,” said Schneider.
The play stars Tammy Hansel as Becky and is directed by Jamie Eberle. Also on stage will be Justin Hambidge, Ken Davy, Colleen Fox, Greta Henning, Rudy Nemechek and Martin Pedersen. Hansel will be directing Mary’s Wedding next season and has previously been seen on stage in the production of Same Time Next Year. She is a founding co-op member and Schneider said “very talented.”
As with most of the Many Hats Theatre Company productions, Schneider expects Becky’s New Car to be a sell out. He said quite often people wait until the final weeks to enjoy the show and then are out of luck because the theatre is sold out.
“We only sit 120 and the first couple of shows are three-quarters full then by the last two weeks people are begging for tickets. We hate disappointing people, so please buy your tickets early because we will sell out — we always do. This is going to be a fun play too, people are going to be talking about this one,” said Schneider.
Showtimes for Becky’s New Car are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults and $19 for students and seniors and are available at the Penticton & Wine Country Visitor’s Centre or reserved by phone at 250-276-2170.
For more information visit www.ManyHatsTheatre.com.
