Norm Foster & Patricia Vanstone to Return to HVT for ON A FIRST NAME BASIS Remount, 6/11-15

The Hudson Village Theatre (HVT) has announced that beloved Canadian playwright, Norm Foster, returns to Hudson with his co-star, Patricia Vanstone, for a remount of last summer's hit, On a First Name Basis from June 11 to 15, 2014. "Foster and Vanstone thoroughly enjoyed their stay in Hudson last year and when given the opportunity to come back, they both jumped at it", said HVT General Manager, Kalina Skulska.

Foster plays an aloof author who realizes that he knows nothing about his housekeeper Ms. Hopperstaad - including her first name - despite being her employer the last 28 years. As a lark, the author invites his servant to actually have a conversation with him over drinks. The unexpected evening leads to many surprises, heartfelt revelations, and of course the big laughs that have made Foster an international success.

Patricia Vanstone, Foster's co-star in the lively two-hander, is one of the most highly-regarded women in Canadian theatre, as both a performer and developer of new plays. A Road to Avonlea fans will recognize Vanstone as Ada Hubble.

Foster and Vanstone have a long history that dates back to 1984 when Vanstone appeared in the World Premiere production of The Melville Boys, one of Foster's most renowned scripts. The two friends have worked together several times since then, including Jenny's House of Joy, which made its World Premiere in 2006. Vanstone says she had asked Foster to write the "Trish show" several times, and he delivered with the role of Ms. Hopperstaad.

Foster and Vanstone have starred in every production of On a First Name Basis, including successful runs in Bermuda, Jacksonville, and Orangeville. Past productions have been praised for the dynamic chemistry between Foster and Vanstone, hilarious Seinfeld-esque banter, and thoughtful examination of class divisions. Foster has said he is proud of how smart the humour is in his 49th play, instead of just going for the cheap laugh, which he admits he is not above doing.

Vanstone says audiences can expect a lot of laughs, and two engaging characters that possess Foster's trademark 'relatability'. "Audiences have a great time," she said. "The feedback we get is that the characters are captivating, and many people say they wish there was a third act so they could see what happens next. That's a pretty terrific sign that they like what we're doing."

The schedule for On a First name Basis performances can be found at: http://www.villagetheatre.ca/Show/164.aspx

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