KVPAC's Encore Players to Present THE FOREIGNER, 7/18-20

KVPAC's Encore Players presents The Foreigner this month, an award-winning two-act comedy by American playwright Larry Shue and directed by Morgan Midkiff. It is both scrupulously clever and outrageously funny.

Set in the 1980's, The Foreigner is chock full of uproarious slapstick and witty wordplay that celebrates our curiosity and empathy for "the outsider." The plot revolves around Englishman Charlie Baker (played by Gregory Magyar), a self-proclaimed "world's dullest man," who takes a vacation at a rural fishing lodge with his eccentric army buddy, Froggy LeSueur (played by Daniel Barrett). When Froggy concocts an outrageous scheme to save Charlie from his pathologically shy self by introducing him as an exotic "foreigner" who can't speak English, it isn't long before Charlie's guileless persona backfires and the mix of goodhearted, slow-witted and devious lodge guests share their deepest secrets and most sinister plans. What ensues is a series of very funny and heartwarming revelations, which leads to the ultimate good guys vs. bad guys climax.

"We all love a story in which the underdog wins just as disaster looms," says Midkiff, directing her third Encore Players production since 2011. "This is the great universal appeal of The Foreigner. We love to see the little guy find the confidence, strength and good inside himself to defeat the wolves in sheep's clothing that close in around him." The laughs are abundant, but it is really the witty combination of silly invention and a serious message about the difficulty of people communicating with one another that gives this play its enduring appeal. Additional cast members include Frank Mena as Reverend David Marshall Lee, Cibby Bowden as Betty Meeks, Andy Midkiff as Owen Musser, Anna K. Smith as Catherine Simms, Joshua Schorejs as Ellard Simms, and both Sigmund Potocki and Jeff Novaez as the Ensemble/KKK.

The Foreigner performs on July 18 & 19 at 8:00pm and July 20 at 2:00pm at The Magyar Main Theatre at KVPAC, 2501 S Mason Rd., Ste #290, Katy, TX 77450. For Katy audience members who seek an evening at the theater, they can look to Encore Players as a source to enjoy the theater in their own home town without the long commute or high cost involved with heading to one of downtown Houston's theaters. Tickets are only $18. Senior, student & group rates are also available. For further information or to purchase advance tickets on-line, visit www.kvpac.org.