Anthony Berg of Addison is appearing in Bad Seed at Wheaton Drama. Adapted by Maxwell Anderson from the novel by William March, this thriller plays through February 19 at Playhouse 111 in downtown Wheaton.With his favorite roles ranging from Uncle Max in The Sound of Music, Nicely Nicely in Guys and Dolls and Franz Liebkind in The Producers, to Dennis Shepard in The Laramie Project, community theatre audiences have likely seen Mr. Berg in many area productions. Mr. Berg is driven by his love of theatre. “I have been performing since high school… and would not want to live life without it”, he says. “I could not be more passionate about sharing the written word of so many great playwrights with others, while giving an audience a small glimpse into another world.”An appropriate flair for the dramatic is manifest when Anthony describes why he loves theatre: “What other activity can you be involved in where you get to pretend that you are someone else for an evening? Theatre is not only an escape for the audience from their lives, but it is a mask an actor gets to wear to cover their lives from being seen at all. For a couple of hours, the person doesn’t exist and the character becomes real. It is almost like giving birth, without all the pain. Sure, we still carry the weight for a couple of months, get aches and pains, and want it all to be over with, but at the end, a precious package is delivered that we get to share with the world. We hope that miracle goes on to success without seeking approval from every person, instead ultimately changing the lives of a select few.”Bad Seed is Anthony’s opportunity to, if not change the lives of, then certainly entertain Wheaton Drama’s patrons. He was drawn to Playhouse 111 by Bad Seed director Jeni Dees. “I have had the honor and privilege of sharing the stage before with Ms. Dees and I knew from her onstage talent that her directing prowess would only follow suit. So I was thrilled to hear she was directing and made sure to come out for her auditions.”In Bad Seed, Anthony plays Emory Wages. Emory is the brother of Monica Breedlove (Kristin Morris). Monica owns the apartment building in which she, Emory, and the Penmark family (Kenneth Gonzales, Amy Royle, and Hannah Klose) reside. Though well intentioned, Monica is a chatterbox and a meddler, traits that tax her brother’s patience. As Anthony explains, “Emory Wages is simple. He does not ask for much out of life but peaceful Sundays on his fishing boat, away from his chatty analyst sister.”A relationship with a female sibling is not something that Anthony can relate to offstage. “There are two main challenges playing Emory Wages”, he explains. “The first is trying to deal with a loudmouthed, know-it-all, pesky sister. Growing up with only two brothers with me being the know-it-all, is quite different than working with a sister. Fortunately, Kristin Morris is both a delight as Monica Breedlove and off-stage as well. The second challenge comes in the form of guilt. Emory is asked to take care of the Penmark family and the result...well you will have to see.”The sibling dynamic is not the only area in which Anthony and his stage persona differ: “The character and I have some hobbies in common, but other than that, are quite different. Emory is more introverted and dry, whereas I tend to be loud, gregarious and humorous.”While Anthony and Kristin’s characters provide light-hearted moments, Bad Seed is not a comedy. It is, however, still richly entertaining. ”Bad Seed is a psychologist’s dream”, Anthony says. “Every character is hiding something and the truth may not, in this case, set them free. It is a daring, dark, and pensive look at the 1950's through the eyes of a neurotic family and family of friends.”Anthony notes that Bad Seed asks the question, “Do you (really) know who you live next door to?”While the possibilities of that question may cause some to hesitate, Anthony hopes it won’t keep audiences away from the show. “People should gather to see Bad Seed because it is not your average night of upbeat, everything-is-grand theatre. The characters are real. The story is twisted. This is what theatre is all about!”Remaining performances of Bad Seed are February 16, 17, and 18 at 8pm, and February 19 at 3pm. Tickets are $13 each for Thursday; $16 each Friday - Sunday. Bad Seed is licensed by Dramatists Play Service, Inc.Wheaton Drama’s 2011-2012 season will also include Black Comedy (3/23-4/15), and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (5/25-6/17). Show details and audition information are available on the Wheaton Drama website.Wheaton Drama’s productions are staged at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale Street in downtown Wheaton. For show tickets and information, please visit http://www.wheatondrama.org, or call 630-260-1820.
