Spending your twilight years in a favorite place of tranquility, a summer home that has served your family well for almost five decades, may be an idyllic end to a long and happy marriage. So feel the Thayers, Ethel and Norman, who are settling in for another season “On Golden Pond,” a sweet piece of nostalgia penned by Ernest Thompson. The Saybrook Stage Company is fittingly bringing this heartwarming comedy to life at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook from Thursday, January 16 to Sunday, January 19.
In the 1981 movie both Katharine Hepburn as Ethel and Henry Fonda as Norman earned Academy Awards for their roles. Rounding on eighty, Norman (Jim Hile) is retired from teaching and, despite an increasingly poor memory and heart palpitations, he has retained his sharp wit and bitingly strong views on life. Ethel (Terri Corigliano), ten years his junior, appreciates her hubby and the long marriage that they have grown comfortable enjoying.
Sending a ripple of tremors through their familiar routines is the arrival of their divorced daughter Chelsea (Amy Kirby) who is on her way to Europe with her new fiancé Bill (Ralph Buonocore). His son Billy (Jake Totten) will be the summer guest of the Thayers, the “grandchild” they never had, and his presence will enliven the household in innumerable ways.
What will Norman and Billy learn from each other? Will Chelsea be able to reconcile her differences with her dad? How will Ethel cope with the newest and oldest members of the family? How does the visit of neighbor Charlie (Mark Gilchrist) change the dynamics of the story?
The Saybrook Stage Company will present “On Golden Pond” in honor of The Kate’s tenth anniversary, under the direction of Marc Deaton. For tickets ($17-23), call 860-510-0453 or online at www.thekate.org. Performances are Thursday to Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the theater, 300 Main Street, Old Saybrook.
Spend a leisurely summer day with Ethel and Norman Thayer as they readjust to more than just the loons visiting them “On Golden Pond.”
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