Sept. 24-Oct. 10: Valley Players present ‘Noises Off’
Sept. 18, 2021 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
Paul Cavaliere and Rachel Smith rehearse a scene from "Noises Off." Courtesy photo
For the next three upcoming weekends, The Valley Players present the comedy “Noises Off” by Michael Frayne.
Often described as “a play within a play, a farce within a farce,” the plot revolves around a touring company rehearsing for a British farce called “Nothing On,” which is set to open after only two weeks of rehearsal.
The show involves slamming doors, plates of sardines and romantic relationships both on and off stage. Act I ends when the cast finishes rehearsing Act I of “Nothing On.” Act II takes place four weeks later and relationships (both friendly and romantic) are beginning to get frazzled. The production in Act III then presents the opening act of “Nothing On” again from the audience’s point of view.
The “Noises Off” cast includes Mikki Nucci of Waitsfield as Dotty Otley, the “grand dame” of the theater; Neil Nussbaum of Moretown plays Lloyd Dallas, the volatile director; Aric Brown of Middlesex is Garry Lejeune, the leading man; Shannon Adams of Warren plays Brooke Ashton, the ingenue; Paul Cavaliere from Montpelier is Frederick Fellowes; Rachel Smith of Shelburne is cast as Belinda Blair and Flavia Brent, a pair of character actors; Susan Loynd of Fayston is Selsdon Mawbray, an actor with considerable experience; Samuel Puddicombe from Waterbury is stage manager Tim Allgood; while Katie O’Brien of Fayston is Poppy Norton-Taylor, the assistant stage manager.
Set designer is Mikki Nucci. Irene Halibozak from Burlington is the lighting designer. Joanne Puente, perennial stage manager, will be making her directorial debut.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. on Sundays on Sept. 24-26, Oct. 1-3 and 8-10 at the Valley Players Theater, 4254 Main Street, Waitsfield.
The Valley Players will follow COVID-19 guidelines from the state of Vermont and request all audience members wear masks/face coverings inside the theater regardless of vaccination status. For more information and to purchase tickets go to valleyplayers.com online or call 802-583-1674.
Mad River TV recently recorded interviews with several cast members and the director of “Noises Off” for its occasional feature, “Theater Time with Doug Bergstein.” Find that clip online at MRVTV.com.
The cast of the play within the play listens to their director in a scene from "Noises Off" presented by The Valley Players. Courtesy Photo