TACT/The Actors Company Theatre presents Three Men on a Horse, by John Cecil Holm & George Abbott, the final production of the company's 2010/11 season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Scott Alan Evans, performances began at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Monday, March 14th, 2011.
The cast of Three Men on A Horse includes TACT Company Members Jeffrey C. Hawkins (The Memorandum, Incident at Vichy), Ron McClary (Incident at Vichy, Home), James Murtaugh (The Late Christopher Bean; Ah, Wilderness-Lincoln Center), Gregory Salata (Bent, Incident at Vichy), and Scott Schafer (Eccentricities of a Nightingale, Bedroom Farce).
In Three Men on a Horse, hen-pecked greeting-card writer, Erwin Trowbridge, has an uncanny ability for predicting the winners of horse races. For Erwin it's just a hobby, but when his extraordinary talent is discovered by a down-and-out pack of gamblers, Erwin suddenly finds himself very far from his safe suburban home in Ozone Heights. This dizzy and delightful Depression-era comedy by one of theatre's most accomplished showmen will bring a much needed lift to your Recession -wearied spirits.
The cast of THREE MEN ON A HORSE took some time to speak with Broadwayworld. The questions will run one each day everyday for the remainder of the week.
Day six question six: While the show and its characters are comedic, there are still elements of abuse, both verbal and physical. Do you think that the show makes light of this topic?
JEFFREY C. HAWKINS (Charlie)
No, I think the more serious tones are dealt with, for the most part. While some of the characters are broad strokes, and some of the given circumstances of the era are politically incorrect today, I don't think we're shying away from its reality.
Geoffrey Molloy (Erwin)
I don't think the show makes light of it, but it uses the characters pain as a source for the comedy. The characters who are abusive in the play get what they deserve. They pay for and apologize for their abuse and hopefully become better people by the end of the play.
Julianna Zinkel (Mabel)
No, at these moments our director, Scott Alan Evans, really wanted to bring out the reality of the darkness within the comedy. The ensemble as a whole was very sensitive to each moment, wanting to show these real people in real situations. We hope the echoes of violence and darker moments are very rooted.
Gregory Salata (Patsy)
The play depicts the characters as they really are, with all the flaws and imperfections that make them interestingly human. Especially my character!
Don Burroughs (Frankie)
I think it goes back to the question about the period of the l play. What was socially acceptable in the 30's, we may consider abuse today. The rules that dictate our social interaction change over time. I don't think the play makes light of abuse. I just think that's how it was.
