JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

The play opened in Time Square at the Studio Theatre Inc in NYC!   Performances February 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 at 8 p.m. February 22 and March 1 at 2 p.m.

Local Playwright Brings Another Great Comedy to JRT

Jonesborough – Insane disguise, crazed robbery, and a dream of a rabbit farm are just a few of the wild components that make up the fun new comedy The Fieldburg/Cabbage Firm of Bank Robbing. The show was the first of the 2009 season at JRT. This one act caper was set in a federal prison where two bank robbing partners, Ezekiel Fieldburg and Leroy Cabbage, retell and relive their greatest heists. What follows is mayhem, intrigue, attraction, and one man tortured by musical comedy. The show is written and directed by local playwright Christopher Dwyer, and ran February 20, 21, 26, 27, 28 at 8 p.m. and February 22 and March 1 at 2 p.m.

The comedy started as a college assignment for Dwyer. After a debut in New York City, a few years on the shelf, and a recent rewrite The Fieldburg/Cabbage Firm of Bank Robbing is ready to make an appearance in Jonesborough.

"I like the idea of the odd couple, bringing an unlikely pair together— the straight character and the odd character. Mistaken identity and disguises are timeless traditions used in comedies, and what Fieldburg/Cabbage uses as well," says Dwyer.

The play’s minimal set is the backdrop for these characters as their quirky personalities come to life. Dwyer draws on a variety of material as inspiration for his characters including Dogberry from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing who is a blueprint for the protagonist Agent Malone and his deputy.

Dwyer explains, "It’s somewhat of a farce, using themes from movies and comedy throughout history. Scenes move fast and use many props. The characters are larger than life. I used to say you wouldn’t meet these people on the street, but you might."

Local connections and old friendships are also a part of the comedy. Dwyer graduated from Science Hill High School in 1999. While a drama student at Lees-McRae College he met and acted in several shows with Kathleen Buttolph, JRT’s Artistic Director. Dwyer and Andrew Baxter (last seen at JRT in The Tempest), who plays Ezekiel Fieldburg, have been friends since pre-school. Others in the cast have been friends and have acted with Dwyer since middle school.

One of those friends is Bradley Smith (last seen as John Proctor at JRT in The Crucible), who with Dwyer founded The East Tennessee Shakespeare Festival. Smith and Dwyer brought to Jonesborough Bare-Bones Shakespeare which featured adaptations of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet in April of 2005.

The very next month JRT introduced to great success the premiere production of Christopher Dwyer’s play waiting on the moon. Many theatre-goers may recognize Dwyer from his most recent appearance on the Barter Theatre stage in Peter Pan and Saint Joan.

"I’m so glad that Chris keeps popping in and out of town between his acting and directing at theatres across the southeast," says Buttolph. "JRT is very fortunate to have this relationship with such a talented actor/director, who also happens to be local."

The cast includes Andrew Baxter, John Beard, Lethan Candlish, James Coffeman, Colleen Dunne, Ben Enkema, Bradley Smith, and Jessica Williams. With Landon Simmons on lights and Lizi Landers on sound this cast and crew will take you on a comedic crime-spree you won’t want to miss.

Check out a short performance video on the home page at johnsoncitypress.com. Scroll through their archive until you see "Theatre Opens Season With Bank Robber Comedy."