Westport Community Theatre Presents Free Staged Reading Today

Westport Community Theatre joins Wesport's month-long celebration of "The High School That Rocked" with a special staged reading today, Sunday August 27, at 2:00 pm.

"Album" is the acclaimed 1981 play by David Rimmer about the coming of age of two teenage couples during the turbulent 1960s. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize which enjoyed a long off-Broadway run, it has has been steadily produced and reprinted in scene collections since its debut nearly 40 years ago.

Divided into eight scenes - each associated with a pop song of the era - which span the four teens' years at Martin Van Buren High School, the play chronicles the coming of age of Peggy, Trish, Billy and Boo during the chaotic years between 1963 and 1967. The language is frank but unfailingly funny, as the four struggle with impending adulthood and their awakening sexuality.

The action ranges from summer camp, to dormitory bedrooms, to senior prom, with the popular music of the period - Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Beach Boys and more - ever present as a telling counterpoint to, and emotional anchor for, the lives of its young foursome. As the years spin deftly by it is also apparent that maturity will bring differing perils and problems for each of them, although all will continue to recall the special excitement - and poignancy - of these last few carefree years together.

The cast includes Deanna Hartog of Westport as Trish, April Lichtman of Easton as Peggy, Robert Peterpaul of Darien as Boo and Colin DeFelice of Wilton as Billy.

Admission is free.

To post a comment, you must register and login.