"Squabbles" Opens at WCP

Westfield Community Players (WCP) opens its 2011-12 season with the hilarious comedy Squabbles by Marshall Karp; directed by Steve Lemenille (of Clark) and produced by Kay Macrae (of Westfield).

Squabbles concerns Abe Dreyfus, a cantankerous senior, who lives with his daughter and son-in-law. Mildred Sloan is an equally irascible lady who is forced to move in with her son and daughter-in-law. This puts Abe and Mildred under the same roof. These two people enjoy each other's company so much that when they first met at their children's wedding, Mildred threatened Abe with a knife! They embark on a mission to drive each other from the house, but their children are the only ones thinking of leaving.

In the cast are Lou Savarese (of Randolph) as Abe, who portrayed Marco in WCP's recent production of A View from the Bridge (also directed by Steve Lemenille). Lou recently appeared in Chatham Player's Jersey Voices. Playing Jerry Sloan is Tim McGovern (of Garwood) most recently seen as Derick Coburn in WCP's production of Smoke & Mirrors. Mildred Sloan is portrayed by Debbie Badal (of Mendham) who has performed numerous roles at WCP, including such shows as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Don't Drink the Water. Making her debut at WCP is Ana Soulios (of Martinsville) who is playing Abe Dreyfus' daughter, Alice Sloan. Russell Ortiz (of Iselin) plays Sol Wasserman, Abe's friend and neighbor. Russ is also making his WCP debut and was nominated for a 2011 Perry Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for his role as Tom Rogers in Main Street Theater's production of And Then There Were None. Ken Webb (of Fanwood) is playing Hector Lopez, the handyman who spends a great deal of time in Abe's bathroom. Ken made his WCP debut portraying Louis in WCP's production of A View from the Bridge. Rounding out this production is veteran actress and director Linda Correll (of Winfield), who will be portraying Nurse Mrs. Fisher.

Director Steve Lemenille, who was nominated for two 2011 Perry Awards as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play for his role as Judge Wargrave in Main Street Theater's production of And Then There Were None and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play as Isaac Cohen in WCP's Abie's Irish Rose says that Squabbles in one of the funniest and well-scripted comedies he has come across in years, and it should delight all audiences. Steve has performed for WCP in such productions as A Midsummer Night's Dream, Death of a Salesman, Fools (for which he was nominated for a 2009 Perry Award as Outstanding Male Actor in an Ensemble), Little Mary Sunshine, Don't Drink the Water, and A View from the Bridge. Mr. Lemenille marks his third directorship with Squabbles, having directed Dial 'M' for Murder and A View from the Bridge for WCP.

Squabbles author, Marshall Karp, is an advertising executive who wrote award-winning commercials (including the classic "Thank You, Paine Webber"). He created "Everything's Relative," a CBS comedy with Jason Alexander, he became writer/producer for the NBC hit, "Amen," served as writer/co-executive producer for ABC's "Baby Talk" starring George Clooney, and NBC's "Working It Out," starring Jane Curtin. After writing hundreds of commercials, dozens of TV shows, a play (Squabbles), and a feature film (Just Looking), his first novel, "The Rabbit Factory," set in a Disneyesque studio introduces LAPD Detectives Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs, followed by "Bloodthirsty," "Flipping Out," and "Cut, Paste, Kill". In 2010 developed the characters for Lionsgate TV, starring Steven Weber and D.L. Hughley for TNT. Karp's latest book is "Kill Me If You Can," a thriller he coauthored with James Patterson.

Westfield Community Players' (WCP) production of Squabbles opens Oct. 15, 2011 at 8pm. It runs Oct. 15, 22, 28 & 29 at 8pm. There is a 3pm matinee on Oct. 23. Tickets are $20 and are available by calling the Box Office at 908-232-1221 or reserved on line at http://www.westfieldcommunityplayers.org/WCPmemtickets.html

[Pictured: standing l-r] Russ Ortiz, Lou Savarese, Debbie Badal. [Seated l-r] Linda Correll. Ana Soulios, Tim McGovern [In front] Ken Webb