THE HATMAKER'S WIFE Opens This Weekend at the Long Beach Playhouse

In Lauren Yee's comic fairy tale, The Hatmaker's Wife brings the past to bear on the future as an old couple, Hetchman the hatmaker and his long-suffering wife, tell their story to the couple who has just moved into their old apartment. As the wall shares the magical tale of an old hat-maker and his long-suffering wife time and space bend to redefine the idea of family, home, and true love itself.

"The idea of a play within a play isn't new," said Madison Mooney, the Playhouse's Executive Director, "But Lauren Yee brings a fresh approach to the technique. For example, in this play only the young woman who has just moved into the apartment with her boyfriend can hear the hatmaker and his wife."

The characters are as unique as the story line. Hetchman is the curmudgeonly hatmaker, who along with his wife once inhabited the apartment. Mecklel is the Hetchman's neighbor. Unlike Mr. Hetchman, he's cheerful and kind. Their story lingers in the wall - and the walk talks. The current inhabitants are Gabe, the easygoing boyfriend, and his girlfriend. Although she never appears physically on the stage, we hear from her throughout the play. The final character isn't so much a person as a place, Golem, whose role is to intuit and react to what is taking place.

"The characters in the story are a bit unexpected," said Sean Gray, Producing Artistic Director for the Playhouse. "Gabe is the easygoing boyfriend. And while we see the hatmaker, his wife and their neighbor, the girlfriend is only a voice. And one character isn't a person, but a place, who without words, helps us intuit and react to the stories played out before us.

"The cast has had a great time working out the interplay between the characters, digging deep into the meaning of the words, the sounds and the feelings conveyed. The production's director, Shinshin Yuder Tsai, was the perfect choice to bring this simple yet complex story to life on our stage."

Director Tsai observed the play is an allegory within a title. He said that the play asks hard questions about who we are to each other, to the world, and ultimately, to ourselves. Tsai felt like one of the central points of the story is the difficulty the characters have expressing love - or even recognizing they are in love. And then what does that love mean, what they must do once they are in love. He and the cast immersed themselves in these questions and how to translate the answers into their inflections, movements and even the smallest gestures.

The cast includes both returning actors and those making their Playhouse debut. Returning are Tod Walker, Henry Weaver, Amara Phelps, and Roxanne Martinez. Making their first appearances for the Playhouse are: Rose London, Jeremy Cooley and Dondre Massey.

Pay what you can Thursday June 6 - community can see this production for whatever they can afford

Two for One Preview Friday June 7- Tickets are $10.00

Opening Night Champagne Reception with cast on June 8- Tickets are $27.00

Ticket prices are as follows: Friday: Adults are $20.00, Seniors $18.00, and Students $14.00

Saturday and Sunday: Adults are $24.00, Seniors $21.00, and Students $14.00.

Tickets are available at www.lbplayhouse.org, or by calling 562-494-1014, option 1.

Long Beach Playhouse is located at 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA, 90804, right across from the Long Beach Recreation golf course. The Playhouse is community-supported theatre with programs and events that cut across age, gender, ethnic, and cultural boundaries.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday, and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The box office is open Wednesday-Saturday from 3:00-8:00 pm and Sundays from 1:00-2:00 pm on scheduled matinees.

Photo Credit: Mike Hardy

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