Theatre Kent is presenting the heartwarming Canadian comedy Having Hope At Home at the Kiwanis Theatre from Thursday, Feb. 4 to Saturday, Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. each night.
The show is being directed by Tom Coatsworth who says he was drawn to the script because of its delightfully honest peek into an at-times dysfunctional family that so many people can relate to.
The tale revolves around Carolyn, who is nine months pregnant and planning a home birth, and her husband Michel, a buoyant French-Canadian.
The couple lives with Carolyn’s grandfather, referred to by Coatsworth as, “a crusty old poop of a farmer.”
Meanwhile, Carolyn’s father, who is the head of obstetrics at the local hospital, and her mother – its most accomplished fundraiser – are preparing for a long overdue visit to the family farmhouse on a cold winter’s night.
The roles of Carolyn and Michel are being played by real-life couple Candise and Alejandro Pacheco, two Theatre Kent newcomers who bring their own charm and chemistry to the stage.
Michael Dick is appearing as Gramps, while Keith Burnett plays Carolyn’s father, a physician to whom the prospect of a home birth is as foreign as the lifestyle to which his daughter has become accustomed.
Janice Sellen plays her mother, anxious to repair the fractured relationship with her daughter and embrace her impending grandmotherhood.
The cast is rounded out by Crystal Horst who plays the midwife Carolyn and Michel have enlisted to guide them through the home birth of their first child.
Having Hope At Home premiered at the Blyth Festival in 2003 and is Theatre Kent’s entry into this year’s Western Ontario Drama League Festival.
The show will be adjudicated on its opening night by veteran adjudicator Sandy Macdonald. Members of the audience are welcome to stay for the public adjudication immediately following the show that night.
Tickets for the show are available through the Cultural Centre box office at 519-354-8338, online at www.cktickets.com and will also be available at the door. Tickets are $19 each and patrons are reminded that Theatre Kent’s shows are now beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The Chatham Voice is also giving away five pairs of tickets to the Saturday show. Just send us an e-mail at mary@chathamvoice.com to enter our draw. You have until Wednesday night to enter.
