Two local theatre companies are joining forces to bring Auntie Mame to the stage this holiday season.  Rogue Theatre Company and True Repertory Theatre will be co-producing this much loved, rarely done, classic comedy.  Auntie Mame, which enjoyed a lengthy Broadway run as both a play, and later a musical, and popular film versions of each, enjoys an almost cult like following.  “Those that know the show, passionately love it,” says Victoria Bond, whose mother was such a fan.  “My mother was waiting for me to play Auntie Mame, unfortunately, she passed away before we were able to do the show,” explains Bond.  Her mother, who battled Frontotemporal Dementia, was a patient at the Senior Behavioral Health Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Lahey Hospital in Plymouth, who cared for her until her passing in January of 2020.  $5.00 of every ticket will be donated to the unit that cared for her mother.  “I will finally be playing Auntie Mame – it's my way of celebrating my mother and thanking the kind people at BID that cared for her.”

            

Donald Sheehan, the founder and artistic director of True Repertory Theatre says, “Our theatre companies are like-minded, in that we both try to give back to the community.  We have our project 719 community outreach program that regularly tries to give back to the local community and we are happy to be a part of this unique collaboration.”  Paul Noonan, an artistic advisor with True Rep remarked, “So many families have to confront cognitive failures and everyone in the cast is proud to be working on this project, to not only raise money for a local resource, but to help raise awareness of the issue.”  

 

The story revolves around young Patrick Dennis who loses his father and goes to live with his eccentric Auntie Mame in New York City, where he becomes a part of her madcap life. The show will be directed by Donald Sheehan, who said of the production, “This is a fast-paced, funny show with a lot of characters and locations.  It gives us an opportunity to be creative and I think audiences will love Auntie Mame.” Adds Victoria Bond, “She is someone who believes in loving life and living it to the fullest -- I can’t think of a better message right now. As Auntie Mame says, “Yes! Live! Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!”

 

The cast includes Victoria Bond (Plymouth), Chris Bailey (Plymouth), Donald Sheehan (Pembroke), Meredith Johnson (North Attleboro), Scotty Kippenham (Rockland), Brian Kenerson (Bridgewater), James Sullivan (Braintree), Mark Reed (Hull), Jennifer Serowick (Scituate), Thomas McCoy (Marshfield), Emily Waystack (Dorchester), and Anthea Dimond of Kingston will stage manage.  

 

Auntie Mame will be presented at The Beal House, 222 Main St., in Kingston,  Tickets are $25 for general admission and $22 for seniors and students.  Performances will be Dec. 9 & 10 at 8PM, Dec. 11 at 6:30PM, and Dec. 11, 17, & 18 at 2:00PM.