Staged Reading of PARIS BOUND to be Presented at Falconbridge Players This Month

The 2023 season of Falconbridge Players continues March 28 when the troupe presents a staged reading of Paris Bound by Philip Barry. Barry became better-known for The Philadelphia Story, but the DNA of his memorable characters and snappy banter can be seen in the 1927 Paris Bound, which recently entered the public domain and can now be freely adapted, presented, and enjoyed by all.

Paris Bound is a progressive and open-minded tale of new-wedded bliss and high ideals which run aground on the rocky shoals of reality. On their wedding day, Mary Hutton tells husband Jim that she insists that they both feel free to see other people if they wish to. Jim tactfully deflects Mary's "big-hearted" offer, even as the audience learns he's just broken the heart of long-time galpal Noel Farley by marrying Mary.

Flash forward six years, and Mary learns that Jim just spent a hot summer month in the South of France with Noel. Faced with the reality of what she once thought was a perfectly normal detour in the course of a life-long commitment, Mary's furious and is planning divorce. Enter Richard Parish, a struggling musician who sees in Mary a delightful composition partner-and much more. When Mary starts to notice Richard noticing her, she realizes that nothing is as simple as it once seemed.

This special staged reading of Paris Bound will be presented one night only, March 28 at 7 PM at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 111 S. Livingston St. in Madison. Admission is free but RSVP is requested at https://parisbound.eventbrite.com. Paris Bound has rarely been performed in Wisconsin and never by Wisconsin artists. The last fully-staged production was in 1931 when the Winona (MN) Little Theatre crossed the river and performed in La Crosse.

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