Great Bend Community Theatre members take the stage this week with “Becky’s New Car,” a comedic cruise by playwright Steven Dietz.
Director KB Bell invites the audience to ride shotgun for the final play of the 2013-14 GBCT season. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday (April 24-26), with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, April 27, at the Crest Theater.
Bell proposed the play for after seeing it performed by the Wichita Community Theatre. “My friend Warren Deckert (former theater manager for GBCT) directed it,” he said. “It’s a show that I submitted and wanted to direct.”
The title character of “Becky’s New Car” is “in the middle” — Middle age, middle management and a middling marriage. Her life is exactly unhappy, but from her desk at a car dealership, she can’t help but wonder what else is out there.
As one character points out, “When a woman says ... she wants a new car, she wants a new life.” Becky gets her chance at a shiny new model when a grief-stricken millionaire stumbles into the car dealership where she works.
The millionaire becomes Becky’s suitor when he presumes she is also a widow, and she doesn’t correct him. She finds herself leading a double life until it quickly (and hilariously) accelerates out of control.
The play features Dyann Twitchell as Becky and John O’Connor as her husband Joe. Other roles are played by Grady Bolding, Jeff Gibson, Jennifer King and Susan Mills. Mark Gallbraith makes his first appearance on the GBCT stage as Becky’s wealthy love interest Walter.
Charlie Dixon is assistant director.
The ticket office will be open from noon to 1 p.m. daily starting Monday, and it will also be open one hour before each performance. Doors open 30 minutes before each performance