THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 30, 1994 TAG: 9410280286
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HENRY EDGAR, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
A couple of years ago, Gary Braner's roommate asked him to go to an audition for a Portsmouth Little Theater's production and offer moral support. Once Braner got there, he decided to audition, too, and won his first role in a community theater production since moving to the Hampton Roads area.
He has since appeared in two more shows in Portsmouth, one in Norfolk and a pair of musicals in Virginia Beach.
Now, he's returning to Portsmouth, directing the upcoming mystery comedy, ``Catch Me If You Can,'' opening Friday at the Wilson High School Theater.
He's excited about the challenge of making his debut as a director.
``It's something new, something with a lot more responsibility than acting because the director is responsible for putting it all together, and I'm looking forward to proving to myself I can pull it off, just to see if I can do it.''
And it's lots of fun, he adds.
Producer Tom Falls gave Braner a copy of the script last year when he was appearing in ``You Can't Take It With You,'' for the Norfolk Little Theater, asking him to read it to see if he was interested in directing the show. He's been working on it ever since.
Braner describes ``Catch Me If You Can'' as a ``mystery with a splash of comedy'' about a man who reports his wife missing - ``But is she really missing?'' Braner asks.
The most difficult things about directing the show, he believes, is keeping up the suspense ``until the end.''
``It's got a great plot line, but I don't want to give too much away,'' he says, comparing it to the kind of story, ``you might see on `Colombo' or `Murder, She Wrote.' ''
``I was told by a friend that the secret to directing a good show is to have a great cast,'' he adds. ``I've got a great cast that works well together. I've got a lot of the Little Theatre of Portsmouth veterans and the chemistry has been there since day one.'' MEMO: Performances will be held Friday, Saturday and next Sunday and Nov.
11-13 at Wilson High School Theater, 1401 Elmhurst Lane. Friday and
Saturday performances are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m.
Tickets, available at the box office, are $7 for adults and $6 for
senior citizens, students and enlisted military. Group rates are
available with advance notice. Call 488-7866 for reservations.
ILLUSTRATION: UPCOMING SHOWS
Olde Towne resident Brian Steelman will play Tommy Djilas, a wild
kid who dates the mayor's daughter, in ``The Music Man,'' to be
presented at the Smithfield Little Theater. Performances will be
held Nov. 3-6, Nov. 10-13 and Nov. 17-19 at the Cotton Gin Theater
in Smithfield.
Curtain time is 8 p.m. for the performances Thursday, Friday,
Saturday and the first Sunday. A 2:30 matinee is planned for the
second Sunday's performance.
Tickets are $8 each and must be purchased in advance by calling
the Smithfield Little Theater Box Office at 1-804-357-7338.
Karen Moss, a junior at Churchland High School, will play the
lead character, Sarah Chandler, in ``The Living,'' a story of the
struggle to love in the midst of the Great Plague of London in
1665.
The play will be presented by the Governor's School for the Arts,
Department of Theatre, at 8 p.m. Nov. 4-5 and Nov. 11-12 at 254
Granby St. in Norfolk.
Moss, the daughter of Joyce Evans of Green Acres, is a first-year
student with the Theatre Department of the Governor's School for the
Arts.
Tickets are $5. Call 441-2905 for ticket information.
``The World According to Mr. Jones,'' a musical comedy written by
former Portsmouth resident Ronn Harris, will be performed at 8 p.m.
Nov. 12 at Willett Hall.
General admission tickets are $15 in advance and $17 at the door.
Group tickets available. Call 397-9659 for information.
by CNB