WATERFORDrama presents "The Marriage of Bette and Boo"

Waterford, Conn. WATERFORDrama proudly presents The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang. The show will take the stage October 13 – 15 at 7:30pm in the Waterford High School Auditorium. The production begins the 8th season of WATERFORDrama, which will include five shows during the upcoming school year.

Christopher Durang is an absurdist playwright and satirist whose work is often classified as “dark comedy.”  The Marriage of Bette and Boo, a play that Durang admits is fairly autobiographical, begins as Matt (the role Durang originated in New York premier) introduces and narrates the story of his parents’ marriage.  As the play begins Bette and Boo are being united in matrimony, surrounded by their beaming families.  As the progress of their marriage is chronicled it becomes increasingly clear that things are not working out quite as everyone hoped.   Both achingly funny and incredibly sad, the story is conveyed in a series of dazzlingly inventive interconnected scenes.  The play moves on through three decades of divorce, alcoholism, madness and fatal illness – during which time Matt grows up and tries, without much success, to make sense of it all.

Works by Durang have a way of encouraging us to find humor in things or situations that aren't normally considered funny.  He finds the absurd and ironic in the borderline inappropriate but does so as the audience also understands the themes that affect us all. Part of his ability to accomplish this comes from the fact that he sets most of The Marriage of Bette and Boo in the 1950s, during his childhood, when the world was a much different place. 

“I felt it was time for us to try something different,” said Shane Valle, Director. “I pride myself on picking shows that challenge the students and allow them to work on their craft within the different styles of theatre that we explore.  We've done farce and we’ve done it well.  We've done realism and we’ve done that well too.  We’ve never done something as dark and satirical as this show.  Unfortunately, some people won’t like it.  Some people may even be offended.  We live in a world where I believe political correctness has occasionally gone too far.  I think it’s still ok to laugh at things that are utterly absurd. I hope that even those that don’t necessarily love the content of this show will still appreciate the hard work and dedication of our actors.”

Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students if purchased in advance or $15 for adults and $10 for students at the door.  Tickets can be purchased in the front lobby or Main Office of Waterford High School during school hours beginning Oct. 3^rd or can be reserved be calling 860-437-6956 x. 728. Please note: this show may not be suitable for all audiences and is not recommended for children under 13.