Pattaya Players performed for Pattaya City Expats Club at their Sunday, October 9, meeting. The audience was treated to four short skits.
Pattaya Players were established in January 2008 with the vision to create an artistically adventurous environment that attracts and excites diverse members of the Pattaya community by providing theatrical productions that entertain, inspire and inform. The four skits were from their recent show, “Songs & Legends.” For more information about this group, go to www.pattayaplayers.org.
The first skit was based on the poem “The Cremation of Sam McGee.” The skit was performed by Tweed Harris and Sheldon Penner. Two gold miners travel the icy wilderness of Alaska in their dog sled. One of them, Sam McGee, continually complains about the cold, but before he dies he makes his friend promise that he will cremate him; not bury him in the cold ground. After he dies, the friend treks on, with McGee’s frozen corpse strapped to the sled, until he reaches a body of water with a derelict ship frozen in the ice. He gathers some planks and starts a big fire in the boiler furnace. The friend stuffs McGee’s corpse inside. Later the friend looks inside the furnace, and there sits McGee! Please close that door. It’s fine in here, but I greatly fear you’ll let in the cold and storm – Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it’s the first time I’ve been warm, says McGee.
The second skit was “The Role of Della,” with Meenakshy Narayanan, Deepika Bedwai and Christina Morgeneier portraying suffering actresses trying to get work. An actress arrives early to audition for the role of Della. The director questions the actress’ resume and notes that she doesn’t look much like her photo, but goes on with the audition. With much sarcasm, the director requires Della to say her lines in an Indian accent, in a Thai accent, speaking as rapidly as possible, and in pantomime with no words. Finally, the director says the actress is perfect for the part, and promises to call her tomorrow between midnight and 4 am. The actress leaves, followed by the director. A new woman enters the scene, followed by the “director,” who turns out to be another actress auditioning for the role of Della, using the same photo and the same resume as the first actress.
The third skit was “Cry Baby,” performed by Tweed Harris. He portrays a man getting very emotional at a funeral, until someone says the name of the deceased man. “At the mention of the name, I looked in casket – it was me!” he cries.
The fourth skit was “Romance in the Roaring Forties,” based on a story by Damon Runyon, with Sheldon Penner and Mara Swankey each performing multiple roles. Beautiful tap dancer Miss Billie Perry is loved by both newspaper reporter Waldo Winchester and gangster Dave the Dude. Dave the Dude tries to kill Waldo, but Billie defends Waldo. Later, Dave throws a wedding party on Broadway for Billie and Waldo. Waldo confides in a friend that he is married to Lola Suppola, a strong, athletic acrobat, but says, “I don’t dare tell Dave about Lola when I’m marrying his ‘doll’.” Lola shows up, stabs Dave and knocks him out (in slow motion), and leaves the party with Waldo in tow. In the next scene, we see Billie crying. Dave shows up, Billie proclaims “The only one for me is you,” and they get married and live happily ever after.
Following the Pattaya Players, Peter Banner, “The Happy Auctioneer,” spoke about his latest sport celebrity charity event featuring UK boxing legend Frank Bruno, who will be appearing at the Amari’s Aranda Ballroom on November 3, 2016. Peter has specialized in fund raising for charities during the last 17 years. It is his endeavor to raise funds for the Thai people that are in need of food shelter and facilities. The Frank Bruno project will raise funds for ‘Women with a Mission’, Disabled Sailing Thailand, and Pattaya’s Human Help Network. Peter said he hopes to raise 150,000 – 200,000 baht for each of the three charities.
After the presentation, MC Roy Albiston brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and was followed by the Open Forum, where questions are asked and answered about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya.
For more information on the PCEC’s many activities, visit their website at www.pcecclub.org.
