Manistee, MI, Jun. 21, 2019 – MANISTEE: The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts announces its cast for the upcoming production of Larry Shue’s comedy, “The Foreigner.” The play is directed by Rick Plummer and will grace the boards of the historic Ramsdell Theatre for one week only, on July 25 through the 28th, according to the Ramsdell executive director, Xavier Verna.
“This is one of the most talented casts I’ve ever had the pleasure of directing,” says Plummer. It is headed up by Michael Ray as Froggy LeSueur, the cheerful Cockney demolition expert on assignment at an American Army installation in rural Georgia. Accompanying Froggy is his forlorn pal, Charlie Baker, played by Sean Gilbert. Charlie is a pathologically shy little man who has a very unfaithful wife, no personality that he can think of, and who seeks refuge from any human contact and much-needed peace and quiet. In order to avoid conversation, he poses as a non-English-speaking “Foreigner.”
Christine Plummer will be seen as Betty Meeks, the proprietor of the Georgia fishing lodge where Froggy and Charlie are staying while Froggy is on assignment. A widow and a long-time friend of Froggy, she is a good-hearted, generous, “down-home” Southerner who speaks the hardy local dialect. Reverend David Marshall Lee is played by Phil Smogoleski. Neither the stereotypical pallid young divinity student nor the hearty backslapping evangelist, he appears to be a regular guy, one that you would like to have on your side. He is not what he seems, however, as audiences will discover as the play unfolds.
Kali Findley plays Catherine Simms, the attractive, rich, debutante fiancée of the Reverend Lee. She has a ready wit and a sharp tongue, and is badly in need of someone to talk to, and, since Charlie doesn’t bother giving advice, he suits her needs perfectly.
Owen Musser is played by Charles Dillon. Owen is the Tilghman County property inspector and a thoroughly disreputable human being. Owen and the Reverend Lee are cooking up a plot to condemn Betty’s lodge so that it can be bought for their own nefarious purposes. Owen, we find, is the absolute stereotype of an ill-bred southern, Redneck. He is crude, vulgar, volatile, ignorant, and a perfect Neanderthal.
Jordan Sell will be seen as Ellard Simms, Catherine’s seemingly slow-witted brother. He works as a sort of handyman for Betty and needs a considerable bit of instruction in his tasks, but he may not be as dull as he seems. He is due to inherit a share of the Simms’ family fortune, unless the Reverend Lee can convince Catherine that Ellard is too stupid to manage money, or anything else, on his own. Ellard befriends Charlie and even decides to teach him to speak English. Ellard is insecure, good-natured, and ultimately courageous.
Josh Leffew and Fred Sundbeck round out the cast as Tilghman Coubty Townspeople who are discovered to be members of a secret southern society.
Plummer adds that supporting the cast is an equally talented group of theater artists, including Mara Davidson as the production stage manager, Mik Mikula as the scenic designer, Susan Barnard as the costume designer, Marty Yaple is the sound designer, Amanda Collene as the lighting designer, Rennae Hansen as the properties mistress, and Marty Cupp as scene painter. Xavier Verna is the producer.
A portion of this show is supported in part by a grant received by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. “The Foreigner” plays Thursday-Saturday, July 25-27 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, July 28 at 2 pm. Tickets for “The Foreigner” range between $15-$30 and are available at My North Tickets, online at https://mynorthtickets.com/venues/26/events or by calling (800) 836-0717.
