Show Retrospective – Divorce Sale

Written by MaryAnn Lyons

Show Retrospective is a monthly feature where we highlight a previous show at The Academy Theatre. This month’s Show Retrospective is DIVORCE SALE, written by Linda Stockham. This play ran at The Academy Theatre October 21-23, 2011.

The cast, from left to right: Ed Keyser, Laura Blume, John Manier, Karen Todd, Norma Moran, MaryAnn Keyser, Dylan Todd, Brenda Cuellar, Bob Gates, and Jeanna Delfin

Play Synopsis

A soon-to-be divorcee holds a garage sale and her neighbors gather to help. In the process, their own marriages get the comic once-over.

Pictured: MaryAnn Keyser, Ed Keyser, and Brenda Cuellar

Family Connections

Divorce Sale saw multiple family members acting together, some for the first time. Newcomers MaryAnn Keyser and her father, Ed, enjoyed their experience acting together. “Our characters weren’t related, but I had a line where I got to criticize my dad’s character and sort of yell at him. That was pretty fun for me,” says MaryAnn. The cast also included Bob Gates and his now-wife, Jeanna Delfin, playing a married couple. The two went on to wed one month later. Lastly, Karen Todd and her son, Dylan, appeared onstage together.

Pictured: Bob Gates and Dylan Todd

Director’s Memory

Angel Arredondo, founder of The Academy Theatre and director of Divorce Sale, remembers one particular prop fondly. “One of the memories I recall was where a particular prop, rather than an actor, left a lasting impression in my mind. The script called for creating a ghost figure, which we fabricated from Styrofoam and positioned behind a window. However, the final appearance inadvertently resembled a cactus. I kept that prop for many years after.”

Pictured: Laura Blume, Norma Moran, and MaryAnn Keyser

Actor’s Reflection

Cast member Brenda Cuellar played an airheaded fitness junkie. Divorce Sale wasn’t Brenda’s first time acting at The Academy Theatre, but she recalls being most excited about acting alongside her friend, MaryAnn. Brenda had introduced MaryAnn to the theatre some months earlier, and she “wanted to show I can act,” says Brenda. She also remembers making the audience laugh when her character opened a book called Fitness for Dummies. The prop “wasn’t necessary, but it was effective.” It’s safe to say Brenda’s efforts paid off, as she and MaryAnn have appeared together making audiences laugh in many other plays at The Academy Theatre.

Conclusion

Were you in the audience to watch Divorce Sale? What is your fondest memory of this play? Let us know!