MARQUETTE, Mich.—Actor Richard Figge will perform the one-man play “Barrymore’s Ghost” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at the Forest Roberts Theatre as a fundraiser with the proceeds benefitting the First Nighters Club, an affinity organization that supports the NMU theatre program.
A silent auction will also be part of the evening’s festivities. Tickets are $20 for the general public and $10 for students and can be reserved by calling 906-227-2082.
“Barrymore’s Ghost” is a play by Jason Miller that presents the life of legendary screen and stage actor John Barrymore (1882-1942) as a ghost haunting a theater. It includes wit, terror, agony and hope through the exploration of Barrymore’s extraordinary life. He was the most prominent member of an American theatrical dynasty that included brother Lionel and sister Ethel, and he is the grandfather to current actress Drew Barrymore. John Barrymore starred in the movies Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Don Juan, Grand Hotel, Dinner at Eight, Twentieth Century and Midnight, and on stage was well known for his portrayal of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
The production will be directed by Nancy Carter, one of the two founding artistic directors of the Ohio Shakespeare Festival and a professional director of more than 30 years.
Figge is a character actor whose credits range from Rostrand’s Cyrano de Bergerac and Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest to modern drama and comedy. He is best known for his performance of the one-man play Clarence Darrow, which he has presented across the country and in Europe. Frigge, a retired professor of German at The College of Wooster (Ohio), has been a member of the Ohio Shakespeare Festival for the past five seasons. He also has experience in film, public radio productions, and radio and television commercials.
“We are thrilled that the First Nighters are sponsoring this event,” said Ansley Valentine, NMU’s director of theatre. “The funds raised are crucial to our students, particularly our graduate interns. Their work is funded completely by the First Nighters Club. Without the club’s support, we could not do all of the things that we do at the Forest Roberts Theatre.”
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