Posted by Bill on May 15 2008 at 19:37:56:
Information on this year’s SERVE play This year, the SERVE Acting company, directed by David Snoke, will perform Cyrano de Bergerac on May 14, 16, and 17 at 8 PM at the Pitcairn Presbyterian Church, 312 Highland Ave, Pitcairn. This is a classic play, by Edmond Rostand, which will move you to both tears and laughter as it deals with deep themes of how we decide who to love, what defenses we put on to hide our fears and weaknesses, and choices we make of self sacrifice if we do love someone. The subject matter is appropriate for adults and mature children age 8 or older. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youth, and $15 for families. For directions to the Pitcairn Church or other info, contact David Snoke at snoke@pitt.edu.
Plot synopsis from Wikipedia Hercule Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac, a cadet (nobleman serving as a soldier) in the French Army, is a brash, strong-willed man of many talents. In addition to being a remarkable duelist, he is a gifted poet and is also shown to be a musician. However, he has an extremely large nose, which is a target for his own self-doubt. This doubt prevents him from expressing his love for his distant cousin, the beautiful Roxanne, as he believes that his ugliness forbids him to "dream of being loved by even an ugly woman."
Recommendation from Bill Deemer Every year, the SERVE plays seem to somehow get better and better. This year’s offering is no exception. The parts are so well cast and flawlessly rehearsed that the play almost seems professional. Dr. Snoke intends to present the audience with much thought-provoking material. However, the entertainment value is also not to be underestimated. This is a stirring performance that you will not want to miss.
Jesse Corbin plays the title role superbly. (Is he really a teenager??) (And, how did he memorize so many lines. This is no mean feat!) The amazing thing is, these lines and this acting are delivered with such pathos. I have seen many plays and musicals. This one ranks right up there with the best. After last night’s opening performance, the audience practically jumped to their feet in an ovation that seemed to have no end.
Amazingly, these SERVE plays have practically no set construction and very few props. There is little in the way of extra lighting. The actors have no microphones. BUT... the acting transcends all of that. I know of at least one man last night who was moved to tears at the climax. My daughter, Susie Deemer, who played Roxanne, said that he came up after the performance and expressed to her how moved he was.
Christian (Josh Snoke), De Guiche (Evan Zajdel), and Le Bret (Matt Rupert) each played their parts beautifully. They supported Jesse well and did much to add to and not diminish in the least, the message. Even with the loss of Evan and Jesse and my son, Ken Deemer (who played a soldier) who all graduate this year, SERVE should be well prepared with an abundance of talent for years to come. Many other players, both veteran and new as a shiny penny also had a hand in this well-received rendition. This tragic story, lightened somewhat by comic parts, is well-deserving of your family’s patronage. You only have two more nights... so make your plans!