2008 Woodie Awards
Hay Fever wins over audiences
Jen Vazquez
Issue date: 5/7/05 Section: Tempo
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This production of "Hay Fever" was directed by a guest and award winner, Jeremy Wechsler of Chicago. Wechsler is the artistic director of Theater Wit and a director at Baliwick Repertory. In the last 10 years he has directed 30 shows at more then a dozen theaters. Some of the more notable shows were the Chicago premieres of "Now Then Again," "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told," and "Playing by the Rules."
As "Hay Fever" opens, two adult children are relaxing in the main room of a decorative home. The girl is Sorel (Kate Hafey of Homer Glen); she wishes her family were normal and didn't drive others away. The boy is Simon (Geoff Zigrossi of Joliet); he thinks their family is just fine. Shortly thereafter we meet Judith (Janelle Coats of Shorewood), the mother; she has just retired from a successful acting career and become restless living at home. We also meet David (Dan Franke of Joliet), the father, who is in the midst of writing his latest book and is too busy to notice anything.
Each family member has invited a guest for the weekend. A rather amusing conversation about where each guest will sleep follows. David has invited Jackie Coryton (Mary Elizabeth Gelezauskas of Homer Glen) in order to study her for his new novel. Judith has invited Sandy Tyrell (Jeremy Fack of Mount Prospect), an amateur boxer. Sorel has invited Richard Greatham (Nick Simon of Joliet), a diplomat. Simon has invited Myra Arundel (Erin Dowse of Shorewood), a confident and well dressed woman. Clara (Guinevere Grana of Oak Lawn), the maid, is the only one on duty all weekend and must deal with the family and all the guests on her own.
As the play progresses many funny conversations occur, such as Judith, Sorel and Simon acting out a scene in a play and the guests having no idea what is going on. In another instance, the family switches guests and decides to marry their new partner. In the end, the guests all slip out during breakfast, due to their clear uncomfort staying with such an insane family, without the family noticing.
