Friends, love & laughs star in Halfway There

After a three year break from the stage, this local community theatre group is grateful to be able to once again entertain their friends and neighbours with this hilarious production by one of Canada’s best known playwrights, Norm Foster.

Want to laugh until your sides ache? Want to cry until your heart breaks? Halfway There is a slice of sweet Nova Scotia pie with a dash of Maritime salt, served in an east coast set that is the mirror image of one of Powell River’s favourite west coast diners.

The town of Stewiake, NS is famous, at least locally, for being halfway between the North Pole and the equator (now you know the reason for the title). Just like in Powell River, there’s no such thing as a secret in Stewiacke. Not when the gossips meet for coffee every day at the local diner.

Vi (Nicole Narbonne), Rita (Angie Davey) and Mary Ellen (Tricia Andrews) are as close as best friends can be. They have always been there for each other, with every joy, challenge and disappointment that has come into their small town lives. The three women meet daily at Junior’s diner, sharing joy, laughter and tender moments of female bonding.

Their best friend and the youngster of the group, Janine (Jennifer Hillier) works as a waitress at the diner. Janine is younger, better travelled and should we say “more worldly”? She is ready to find out what real love is, with the help of the questionable common sense and opinionated moral support of Vi, Rita & Mary Ellen.

When Sean (Jeremy Buhay), a heartbroken doctor, moves in to take a temporary job at the clinic, the first people he meets are these four local women, each with issues and attitudes of their own. As Sean learns more about the town and its people, he learns more about himself, and in the end, Sean gives the four friends a new perspective of people “from away”.

This feel good theatrical experience will have you smiling long after you leave the Evergreen Theatre.

~ Nicole Narbonne

HALFWAY THERE

When: March 23 to 25, 7 pm nightly. March 26, 1:30 pm.

What: Theatre Now presents the Norm Foster play, Halfway There.

Tickets: $25 adults, $20 seniors. More info at theatrenowpowellriver.ca