Tickets are currently available for Marion Art Center’s upcoming production of The Dinner Party by Neil Simon. The bittersweet comic drama revolves around a chaotic French dinner party. Six people – three divorced couples – arrive to dine in a chic Parisian restaurant, each unbeknownst to the other. During the dinner, they are forced to confront the issues that tore them apart and consider the possibility of reconciliation. Under the direction of Kate Fishman, the cast features Scott Fishman, Jay Gould, Suzie Kokkins, Cynthia Latham, Kristen Meiggs and Harvey Ussach.
Scott Fishman (Andre) is new to the MAC stage, but has been active in community theater since 1999. He has performed in more than 40 productions including lead roles in A Christmas Carol, Darwin in Malibu, Writer’s Block, Dial M for Murder, To Kill a Mockingbird, Twelve Angry Men, Painting Churches, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, and Beyond Therapy. Scott just completed a run of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in Duxbury.
Jay Gould (Claude) has appeared in several MAC productions including Deadwood Dick, Harvey, I Ought to be in Pictures, Aspirin and Elephants, The Odd Couple and Rumors. Jay is a veterinarian at Mattapoisett Animal Hospital where he treats pets in addition to his own four dogs, six cats, and 11 birds.
Suzie Kokkins (Gabrielle) is thrilled to return to the MAC stage. Previous shows include MAC’s Light Up the Sky, Seagull, Bad Year for Tomatoes, Dixie Swim Club, Drinking Habits, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, and Enchanted April. She has also been seen in local productions including The Cemetery Club and 101 Dalmatians.
Cynthia Latham (Yvonne) first appeared on the MAC stage in The Fourth Wall by A.R. Gurney. Cynthia’s list of credits includes Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, A Bad Year for Tomatoes, Love, Loss and What I Wore, The Seagull, as well as film and TV work including Men in Black 3 and The Good Wife.
Kristen Meiggs (Mariette) makes her debut performance at the MAC with this show, and she has definitely been bitten by the theater bug. She lives in Mattapoisett with her twin sons, Owen and Zach, who first introduced her to the joys of the theater community.
Harvey Ussach (Albert) returns to the MAC stage after performing in the March production of Enchanted April. He has appeared in plays off and on most of his life in New York City and the South Coast, including Through a Portagee Gate, Hot L Baltimore, Communicating Doors, and The Curious Savage. Harvey teaches critical writing at Bristol Community College and Roger Williams University, and public speaking at BCC and Fisher College.
The Dinner Party opens on Friday, August 11 at 7:30 pm, with additional performances on Saturday, August 12; Thursday, August 17; Friday, August 18; and Saturday, August 19. Tickets are available at a cost of $15 for MAC members and $18 for non-members. While reservations and holds cannot be accommodated, ticket purchases may be made both in person and by calling the Marion Art Center at 508-748-1266 during regular gallery hours (Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm). General seating and cabaret seating (for parties of 4) are available on a first come, first served basis.
