Cambrian Players Bring ‘Spring Thaw’ to Thunder Bay with Four Weddings and an Elvis
Katelin Hogard, Contributor
Sourced from Cambrian Players’ Facebook Page
Four Weddings and an Elvis is the newest play coming out of Cambrian Players Theatre. Written by Nancy Frick, it displays love in four very different ways with a selection of characters only found in masteries of comedy.
With a stellar direction by Gabe Ferrazzo, Four Weddings appeals to “virtually [anyone who] likes a light comedy with some romantic overtones.” Ferrazzo was nothing but enthusiastic when discussing the metamorphosis of Four Weddings on the Cambrian stage.
“The play itself speaks to a wide range of audiences,” Jessica McNabb says. “There’s something for everybody in there.” McNabb plays Sandy, the jaded, seen-it-all chapel owner who’s the voice of reason for the couples who have come in determined to solidify their love, in whatever way that may look like.
Four Weddings gives the audience a show that not only takes place in the warmth of a metaphorical Las Vegas - a ‘spring thaw’, as Ferrazzo refers to it - but the chance to dive deep into love stories similar to their own.
“We tried to get full-dimensional characters up there but still make them recognizable so that people will say, ‘Oh yeah, I know a guy just like that or a girl just like her,” Ferrazzo says.
McNabb says if she was 15 years older, packed it all in, went to Las Vegas and opened a wedding chapel, she’d be Sandy. “I like her an awful lot,” McNabb comments, “She’s just brassy and says what’s on her mind. Kind of a take no shit sort of lady and I like that.”
When asked what the biggest challenge was, Ferrazzo doesn’t skip a beat, “realistically, anything to do with comedy, very tough not to make the characters stereotypical.” Ferrazzo took these stereotypes and used them in a way unexpected and opposite of the cultural norm.
Katie Maki plays Fiona, the ‘Zip it Bitch from Cell Block Two’ who is head over heels in love with Marvin, played by Chris Jason. Marvin is a gentle soul who drowns in adoration for Fiona’s brashness, caught in her first beat on stage when she storms in cursing.
The two could not be more opposite, but don’t we all know a Marvin and Fiona? “There’s some characters, [like Marvin and Fiona,] the connection between the two of them is just sweet and adorable…. Their scene is my favourite,” gushes McNabb.
Talking to McNabb gives a colorful description and love for the play itself, “Everybody blows me away.”
It’s safe to say the audience will be engaged and enamored, not only by the characters, but the relationships they create to form this story of uncommon, albeit unconditional, love. “You may or may not like [the characters],” Ferrazzo says, “but you should at least be engaged by them. That’s what we work really hard to do.”
Although this is a comedy that doesn’t require a whole lot of thinking, it reminds the audience of the feelings we all want with another person, and while the snow slowly melts, the audience can escape to the desert of sunshine and love. This one is sure not to be missed!
Four Weddings and an Elvis plays at the Cambrian Players Theatre March 4th-7th and 11th-14th at 7:30pm.
