Best bets this month in Harford community theater

There are a couple of opportunities coming up in Harford County to catch some good community theater.

First up is The Rainmaker at Tidewater Players in Havre de Grace. This is the story of a cattle-ranching family in the drought stricken 1930s Midwest. Theres no rain, dying cattle, and a lonely daughter of the prairie. Enter The Rainmaker, who for $100 claims he can bring the rain and make everything right.

Everything?

Is this guy for real? Or is he full of baloney?

Chad La Fleur in the title role says, I think what I most enjoy about portraying Starbuck is his love for life and the grander things. He is always after something bigger and better chasing dreams that are all his own. He has a softer side that few see and even a bit of loneliness. But he has dreams and his smile can win over even the most harden of skeptics.

Yes, Chad, but Im still not sure hes not full of baloney.

The Opera House in Havre de Grace is a beautiful, historic, intimate, 100-seat theater. Productions hereare known toprovide the best bang for the theater buck in the area. I am frequently amazed at how big a production can be performed on that small stage. Come to town early, have dinner in one of HdGs fine restaurants and enjoy a great evening of theater. www.havredegracethemeetingplace.com/restaurants.html

The Rainmaker runs February 27 through March 14. Friday and Saturday performances at 8, Sunday at 3. Reserve your general admission ticket at 410-939-5046. www.tidewaterplayers.com/11.html

Next is the Broadway musical Gypsy, being performed by the Phoenix Festival Theater at Harford Community College. Gypsy is the story of the ultimate stage mom in the waning days of vaudeville, who is determined at all cost that her daughter be a star. Ormaybe it'sa cautionary tale about the pitfalls of living vicariously through ones children. Or maybe it is an embodiment of the advice, When life hands you lemons Perhaps it is all of the above.

As an actor in this production it is impossible for me to speak about it objectively.

So here goes.

Amy Luchey in the title role says, This could be considered a dream role. But its also a logical progression. As a young girl I played Baby Louise, and in a later production I was a Toreadorable (dancer). Amys role demands that she let it all hang out, emotionally and otherwise. And she does.

The same is true of her mother, Madame Rose, portrayed by Gail Bareham. Gail throws everything into it, including the kitchen sink.

Sharing stage time with them gives me the best seat in the house.

You can have the second-best seat by calling 443-412-2211. Gypsy runs March 6 through March 15. Friday performances at 8, Saturday at 3 and 8, Sunday at 3. www.harford.edu/Cultural/default.asp

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