BUCHANAN - Anyone who has experienced the highs and lows of trying to determine what’s best for their aging parents or grandparents could probably relate in a personal way to Houses For Sale, the 2023 dinner theatre performance by the Buchanan Black Box Players on April 20, 21 and 22.
There were moments that made the audience laugh, situations of utter chaos, moments that made theatregoers think, and, most likely, moments that brought tears to some eyes.
Houses For Sale was written by Ron Hill, marking his debut as a writer, and was first performed in 2004. Hill has been involved in community theatre in California for many years.
The play is set in 1956 and follows the antics and escapades of Glen Martin (Bob Edwards) as he tries to maintain his independence as a senior. Glen is a widower in his mid-seventies, stubborn and independent, according to the character synopsis. He dresses in cotton pants, long-sleeved shirts and dress shoes. Though he knows he is ill, he refuses to admit it to anyone.
As the first scene opens, Glen’s daughter Helen (Tammy Senholt) enters his house, where Glen lives alone. Helen, affectionately known as Twink by her father, is Glen’s only child, in her late thirties, and dresses in a professional manner. She loves her father and worries about him constantly. She tries to be patient with him, but can be just as stubborn. Twink comes from her childhood, when her parents decorated her room with stars and clouds on the ceiling. After that, Glen sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to his daughter every night for years.
Mr. Goodsell (Ernie Kozak) enters, a real estate agent whose name may be just a little too “on the nose” for some. Helen is trying to get Goodsell to help her persuade Glen to sell the house. Glen enters, and sees Goodsell taking measurements, leading him to wonder if he is a carpet salesman. Glen is very displeased with his daughter when he finds out the true reason for Goodsell’s visit. “I’ve told you hundreds of times, I’m not selling, Twink.”
After Goodsell leaves, Glen gets a visit from his neighbour, Max (Steve Merriam) who is a widower and Glen’s best friend. He is a few years older than Glen and has a zest for living. He is a retired physics teacher who dresses in the same manner as Glen.
As a way of talking Helen out of trying to get him to sell the house and move, Glen tells her that he has people coming around all the time, adding “A house is only worth so much, but how much are memories worth? Can you give me a price on those? Your mother is in every room of this place. I sometimes think I can smell her perfume or hear her humming as she works in the kitchen.”
Eventually, Glen mentions to Helen that he has been advertising for a roommate. A number of interested parties reply to the ad, all on the same afternoon of course, creating chaos and confusion in Glen’s usually quiet home. Max, never shy about sharing his opinion, drops by to help Glen make his decision, but wearing a bizarre disguise so he isn’t recognized.
After a dream sequence where Max is visited by his late wife Faye (Val Edwards), Max relents and tells Helen he’s willing to list the house for sale, and move in with her and her husband.
“It doesn’t do much for me, but she’ll be happy about it.”
In the final scene, Helen is busy making preparations for the anticipated big move, while Glen takes a seat his chair, smiling and looking at a picture of his late wife Faye. Eventually Helen comes to check on her father, and discovers he has passed away.
Director Sharon Murray said, after an absence of four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, “It felt good to be working on a Buchanan Black Box Players dinner theatre project again. We felt that if we didn’t do it this year, we may never get the group going again.”
Murray said that Houses For Sale holds a special meaning for her.
“This is one I wanted to direct because I’ve gone through this in my life with my own parents. A lot of things in this script are what I went through with Dad and Mom.”
With that in mind, this is how Murray summed up the plot: “We should allow our parents to make their own decisions. Regardless of what we think, Glen should have been allowed to do what he wanted to do. What we want for our parents is often the wrong thing for them. But at the end, Glen finally got to make his own choice.”
In the final scene, Glen dies with a smile on his face, in the house where he lived most of his life, looking at a photo of his beloved late wife Faye, with their loving daughter Helen beside him.
Murray said rehearsals began in December and were held once a week for the most part. But life sometimes got in the way, whether it was stormy weather, health problems, or other issues.
She said in order for a production like this one to be successful, it requires volunteer help from almost everyone in Buchanan, as well as additional support workers from surrounding communities.
The Buchanan Black Box Players have developed an extremely loyal audience over the years.
“Many audience members are long-time supporters, some have been attending these productions for over 25 years. We also had a number of newcomers this year, and many said they’ll be back next year.”
In the aftermath of the spring blizzard that hit the region the week of the performances, only one table said they couldn’t make it for opening night on Thursday, “but we were able to accommodate them for the Saturday performance.”
Murray was pleased to see that the audience was very receptive. “Many had tears in their eyes afters the ending. That was my goal- see them to show emotion.
“I have to commend Bob Edwards, the actor who played Glen Martin,” continued Murray. “At the age of 82, he was on stage for most of the production and learned all his lines; he was even able to help other actors with their lines during scenes.”
Murray said it’s a joy for her to have the opportunity to direct “these great cast members.” After a while they become like family.
“Everyone has their own opinion and their own way of doing their character. You never know, some of them find ways to change their character from one performance to the next.”
She said they are all very good at dealing with the unexpected.
“Like tonight when one of the doors on stage wouldn’t open, without missing a beat they came up with adlibs, making it even more fun.”
Houses For Sale was produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.
