The St. Jacobs Country Playhouse continues its 2015 Season with a fresh and funny comedy about life, love, and a midlife crisis gone hilariously off course. Audiences will be laughing out loud as one man scrambles to put the pieces of his life back together in The Crazy Time, on stage now through May 3rd.

“With its relatable characters and witty banter, The Crazy Time is a comic gem that is sure to elicit lots of laughs,” says Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. “Audiences will be thoroughly entertained by this sharp comedy about a man who appears to have it all, only to have his entire life implode.”

Indeed, life is good for Miles Gladstone.  His business is thriving, he traded in his marital partner of 32 years for a beautiful young trophy wife, and his daughter is successful and happily married. Then, things get a little crazy for poor Miles. His gorgeous young wife leaves him, his conniving business partner cheats him out of the company, and his daughter’s marriage starts to crumble. To make matters worse, when Miles realizes that he wants his ex-wife back, he learns she’s dating a guy half her age.  Poor Miles just can’t catch a break!

Director Marcia Kash guides a strong cast through this funny and fickle comedy to create a light-hearted production that keeps audiences laughing throughout. Kash maximizes the humour in this clever script penned by award-winning American writer Sam Bobrick, who has written 30-plus stage plays and is also an accomplished television writer for such classics as Bewitched, The Flintstones, Get SmartSaved By The Belland The Andy Griffith Show.

Set Designer Ivan Brozic creates a stylish urban apartment interior which is further enhanced by the work of Lighting Designer Simon Day. Costume Designer Jessica Bray fashions appropriate outfits that adeptly capture the personality of each character.

Paul Brown is terrifically funny as Miles Gladstone, whose perfect world is collapsing. Brown never fails to get the laughs with spot-on delivery and animated facial expressions as Miles’ life spins further and further out of control. Audiences may recognize Brown from his role as Mr. Phillips in the original Anne of Green Gables mini-series, as well as from prior roles with Drayton Entertainment in Cinderella: The Panto, Crazy For You, Dial M for Murder and more.

Gordon Gammie gives an appropriately smarmy and confident performance as Miles’ smooth-talking business partner, Jerry Conroy, who’s only out for himself. A seasoned stage and screen actor, Gammie last appeared on the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse stage in the hit comedy Shear Madness in 2011.

Jayme Armstrong’s charm shines as she takes on the role of Miles’ anxious daughter Susan, who is sure her husband is having an affair. Armstrong recently entertained audiences as twin sisters Julia and Jessica Youngstead in The Last Resort.

Veteran actress Gabrielle Jones is tenacious as Miles’ rejuvenated ex-wife Kate, a woman thrilled to be out of her ex-husband’s shadow and into the arms of a much younger (and virile) man. Jones has an impressive résumé which includes several seasons with the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, as well as national tours of Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables.

Kyle Golemba reveals his adept comic timing (among other assets) as Kate’s young stud Dirk Knudsen, who is smitten with his much-older girlfriend and her money. Golemba skillfully uses his good looks and daft charisma to make the most of this over-the-top “boy toy” role. Golemba has appeared in productions all over Canada, most recently in Cabaret and Juno and the Paycock for the Shaw Festival.

“I don’t want to spoil the plot, but women will especially love The Crazy Time,” says Mustakas. “The men in the story learn a thing or two the hard way, while the women live it up. It’s great fun.”

The Crazy Time is proudly sponsored by Waterloo Printing. Media Sponsors are Wave FM and the Waterloo Chronicle. The Design Sponsors are HAHN Rentals and Picard’s Peanuts. The 2015 Season Media Sponsor is CTV.

Regular performance tickets are $42.00 for adults; $25.00 for youth under 20 years of age. HST is applicable to all ticket prices.

Photo credit:
Paul Brown as Miles and Gordon Gammie as Jerry in The Crazy Time, St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, 2015 Season.
Photographer: Gary Moon, Moonlighting Photography

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