Theatre Company hosts ‘Lawnchairs’

SCRANTON - This month, the Electric Theatre Company in downtown Scranton will attempt to prove that sometimes the most compelling dramas take place in your own backyard.

The Electric Theatre Company will host the world premiere of playwright Nancy Hasty’s “Lawnchairs,” Friday, March 12.

The dark comedy, set in suburbia during the late 1960s, tells the story of two friends, Geri and Bev, who have made a habit of spying on Geri’s next-door neighbors from her back patio.

The two find the events next door more entertaining than a television soap opera, but when the events start to unfold in surprising ways, Bev enlists the help of her teenage son, Benny, to act as their spy.

“It’s about how much more we watch other people’s lives, instead of our own, and the line between the thrill of watching these events and the reality of what’s going on.”

Born in Florida, before moving to New York, Hasty has had work produced in New York, internationally, regionally and on tour. She currently has 10 plays to her credit.

She began living between New York and Pennsylvania in 1999, and met Electric Theatre Company artistic director David Zarko while she was a playwright in residence at Keystone College and the theater company was located on the college campus.

Hasty said she was discussing the play with Zarko and he thought it would be a great fit for Electric Theatre. So far, she said the experience has been very positive.

“In New York, it is so difficult to get a production up because it’s so expensive, so there’s a lot of staged readings,” said Hasty.

“So to actually come to this great space the Electric Theatre has in the old Hotel Jermyn, and see your sets and all the production value, has been a joy.”

As happy as Hasty is with the production of the sets, she said it wouldn’t mean anything without quality actors to bring the play to life.

“The actors have really helped shape their characters, because this is a new play, and I’m rewriting constantly,” said Hasty. “I actually just finished a rewrite.”

The cast includes Electric Theatre regulars, Mauri Malloy as Geri, who recently performed in the one-woman “The Syringa Tree,” at the theater, and Jerry Durkin as Geri’s husband, who was most recently scene in the theater’s production of “The Dining Room.” Malloy and Durkin are joined by Electric Theatre newcomers, Samuel Adams as Benny, and Jennifer Terrell as Bev.

“They’re a really great cast, and David is doing a great job as director.”

The play is set to run in Scranton through March 28, before, hopefully, heading to another city.

“Lawnchairs” earned attention after winning the 2009 Jerry Kaufman Award, and Hasty is expecting producers from New York and regional theater companies to be in attendance this weekend.

“Our plan is to keep the sets and the actors, and hopefully reproduce the play in some other areas, and then hopefully in New York,” said Hasty.

While eventually bringing the play to New York is the goal, Hasty said right now everyone is focused, and excited, about the task at hand, which is the world premiere of “Lawnchairs” at the Electric Theatre Company.

“It’s really thrilling to have a play produced right here where I live. I hope people come out to support live theater and to support the Electric Theatre.”

“Lawnchairs” will run from March 12 to 28, at the Electric Theatre Company 326 Spruce St. Scranton. For more information, call 570.585.1515.