Community Players of Concord Present Homegrown Comedy

The world premiere of Hotel LaPutts, a new farce written and directed by New Hampshire’s own Wallace J. Pineault, will be proudly presented by The Community Players of Concord on May 2, and 3, at 7:30 p.m. and on May 4, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord. 
Tickets cost $16 for adults and $14 for juniors and seniors if purchased online before April 30th, $18 and $16 thereafter. Tickets may be purchased online at communityplayersofconcord.org, or at the Auditorium box office on April 30 and May 1, 2, and 3 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.and on May 4, from noon to 2 p.m.  For more ticket information, visit the above website or contact David Murdo at 603-344-4747 or nhdm40@comcast.net. Friday andSaturday night audiences should note the new 7:30 p.m. curtain time for this season.

Hotel LaPutts is a fast-paced comedy set in a deteriorating, secluded New Hampshire hotel owned by the eccentric LaPutts family, who, desperate to save their hotel from foreclosure, become unwittingly entangled in the dealings of a charming guest named Harry Warner. Warner claims to be a “pharmaceutical salesman” who will bring “monthly sales meetings” with lots of guests and lots of dollars. In truth, Harry is a criminal who believes the hotel’s secluded location would be ideal for meetings and transactions related to his real business - the running of a notorious drug cartel. The duped LaPutts family is aghast to find themselves personally involved in Harry’s illegal drug trade and must find a way to save themselves and their hotel. A cast of 23 seasoned community actors brings this ultimately bustling hotel to life, portraying an array of quirky characters, including the odd but endearing LaPutts family, some aged hotel guest “regulars” who return year after year, a few of “Harry’s friends,” hoodlums akin to a cross between Abbot and Costello and the Marx brothers, Harry’s ditzy fiance’ (“Mara Dingle”), a private detective with delusions of grandeur (“Adrian Snoops”), the Feds, and the family’s talkative parrot.  

Writer/director Wallace J. (“Wally”) Pineault, a Senior Professor of Theater at New England College (“NEC”) in Henniker, lives in the Manchester home that has been in his family for generations. He has been involved in theater and film for almost 40 years. His first theater experience was in 1970 as a senior at St. Anselm College. He soon after started the Anselmian Summer Theatre (“AST”) there. AST’s first production and Pineault’s directing debut, The Lion in Winter, was entered into the NH Community Theatre Competition and won every single award, a feat unrepeated by any production to this day.  Pineault attributes his success in the theater to his diverse education. He received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. Anselm College, a masters degree in speech/oral interpretation of literature from Emerson College in Boston, MA, and a doctorate in Theatre (Directing & Staging) from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH.  He taught at Saint Anselm College from 1975 to 1980 and at New England College from 1986 to 2014. He will officially retire from NEC at the end of the current semester.

On campus and in the community, Pineault has directed countless productions in New Hampshire and beyond. 
“Wally is the real deal,” said Chris Demers, who stars as Buddy LaPutts by night, educator for the Concord School District by day. “Newcomers to community theater in this area often hear, ‘If Wally is directing, audition!  Wally is among the best of the best - you will be in good hands and learning from a master.’”  

Pineault, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, has also worked in film when time has allowed, working with LLoyd Bridges in Secret Sins of the Father and with Walter Matthau in Odd Couple Two. He worked with Eddie Foy Casting and with Emmy Award winning costume designer, Al Lehman and has been directed by Beau Bridges.

Pineault’s experiences as playwright, however, are a newer, exciting continuation of his show business career. He has worked with well known playwrights John Cariani (Almost, Maine), Lavonne Mueller (Breaking the Prairie Wolf Code), and Pulitzer Prize Winner, Tad Mosel. Pineault is optimistic about the upcoming Hotel LaPutts premiere. 

“It’s a little frightening at first, writing a comedy and then wondering whether people will find the material entertaining, or hopefully, downright funny,” Pineault said, “but I’ve been delighted to discover that, yes, people are finding this play very funny! It’s a terrific feeling. I have a great cast and we are all raring to go for opening night.”

This is the second time this season that The Community Players of Concord has offered an original piece by a New Hampshire author. In February 2014, the Players presented Kong’s Night Out, a comedy by playwright Jack Neary of Derry, New Hampshire. Community and professional theater groups are often criticized for sticking with tried and true, well known shows that are safer bets to draw audiences and their much needed ticket dollars. After presenting two smash hits in the fall, with their Children’s Theatre Project’s presentation of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, followed by their wildly successful presentation of Monty Python’s Spamalot (with an award winning set designed and built by Pineault), the Players feel comfortable and proud to give some space to unique, original productions, especially from homegrown authors. Besides, as they say, with Pineault, you’re in the best of hands.

Producers:  Bob Pearson, Candy Brehm, Colleen Schwarz and Megan Conn

Stage Manager: Mindy Wolfe

Set Design:  Jim Webber

Light Design: Steven Meier

Costumes:  Janet Dare

The Cast:

• Chris Demers – Buddy La Putts
• Cheri Birch – Yvette La Putts
• John Conlon – Grandpa La Putts
• Barbara Webb – Grandma La Putts
• Mathias Allman – Richard La Putts
• Madison Miles – Nicole La Putts
• Charles Mitchell – Harry “The Charmer” Warner
• Tim Benner – Rocco Vermicelli
• Mike Gula – Jimmy Pistachio
• Andrew Allegrezza – Frank Repetto
• Mark Landry – Dick Van Skank
• Greg Fischer – Hank Agavino
• Chelsea Pettibone – Mara Dingle
• Jim Kruse – Larry Nichols/Sheriff Les Law
• Deidre Bridge – Priscilla Nichols
• Kevin Guimond – Adrian Snoops/Cecil Bargain
• Barbara Woodman – Mrs. Hazel Goldberg/Mrs. Emma Trombowski
• Ursula Boutwell – Mrs. Agatha Hepplewhite/Mrs. Eva Greenspan/Mrs. Helga Schmidt
• Douglas Schwarz – Mr. Stanley Trombowski
• Kevin Belval – Mr. Alvin Greenspan/Mr. Werner Schmidt
• Bob Sanders – Mr. David Virgin
• Janet Hertzberg – Mrs. Ruth Virgin
• Ben Boover – Federal Agent
• Kyle Wallace – Federal Agent