The Salem Community Theatre performance of Biloxi Blues opens this Friday, Saturday and Sunday and continues next weekend.
Michelle Barbee directs the play.
“It is a show that is poignant, it’s a coming of age story. It addresses a lot of issues that we haven’t really dealt with on the Salem Theater stage before. It’s not foul at all. It’s not out of bounds. But it’s actual, it’s real. Neil Simon is one of the best playwrights I think in all of America and we are just so fortunate to be able to bring it here.”
The play is similar to the movie version released in 1988.
Brad Crow is in his second Salem Community Theatre production.
“I’m the drill instructor with a little crazy streak about me. Anytime I come on stage I reek havoc and it’s a lot of fun because I get to come on there and act a little crazy.”
New to the Salem Community Theatre Stage is Austin Williams who is in his first theatre production since graduating from Centralia High School in 2017. He plays Arnold who he describes as a fish out of water that isn’t meant to be a soldier.
“My character Arnold is a fish out of water. He has a lot of contrast with the other soldiers and sergeant. He really clashes with the whole army aesthetic. His whole thing is he is not made to be a soldier so it’s kind of fun to play that clash with everyone else.”
Connor Lorrence is a recent Centralia High School graduate who has played numerous roles in CHS and Centralia Cultural Society productions. He plays one of the other recruits Joseph Wykowski.
“It’s unafraid to show what people were like back during that time period. It was a very different time during WWII. And it’s willing to show every aspect from the good to the bad and I really enjoy that aspect of it.”
Lorrence says there is a super good environment for doing shows at the Salem Theatre. This fall Lorrence will start working on a music education degree at Louisiana State University where he also plans to continue acting.
Others in the cast include Zach Torbeck as Don Carney, Kathie Garren as Rowena, Kristin Bailey as Daisy Hannibal, Adam Alexander as Eugene Jerome, Dawson Deckard as Roy Seldridge and Donovan Gatren as James Hennessy.
Showtimes on Friday and Saturday nights the next two weekends is seven pm, with a three pm Sunday matinee each week. Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $7.00 for students.
Tickets are available at the Theatre Office and at Salem City Hall. they may also be purchased online at salemiltheater.org.
