Classic 'On Golden Pond' full of heart, hope

The Whitefish Theatre Co. continues its 38th season with the spring production of “On Golden Pond,” a beloved drama written by Ernest Thompson.

Directed by Broadway talent David Ackroyd, “On Golden Pond” runs at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish on April 14-15 and 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. and on April 16 at 4 p.m. A sneak preview performance will be held on April 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Full of heart and hope, “On Golden Pond” is the touching story of lovable curmudgeon Norman Thayer and his spirited wife, Ethel. Upon return to their summer lake home in Maine, their vacation is interrupted with the unexpected arrival of their estranged daughter, her uptight fiancé, and his rebellious teenage son. Over the course of the summer, an unlikely friendship develops between Norman and the boy, bringing together generations and the lessons they learn from each other. This theater classic is an inspiring celebration of life, love, and family and a show that Variety calls “a rare and memorable theatrical experience.”

The Whitefish Theatre Co. is thrilled to have David Ackroyd as the director of this memorable production. His past experience as both a Broadway actor and off-Broadway director bring tremendous skill and virtuosity to WTC’s local stage, as well as a great depth of understanding of how to produce a play that most people recognize from the blockbuster film.

“Most people know ‘On Golden Pond’ from the 1981 movie starring Katherine Hepburn and Henry and Jane Fonda,” says Ackroyd. “But as always happens when a play is turned into a film, producers feel the need to, as they say, ‘open it up,’ which basically means taking it outdoors, adding cinematic sexiness, casting major stars, and doing everything they can to make the script more pleasing to a mass audience. Don’t get me wrong, the film version is a fine movie, but it ain’t the play.”

“Of course, Hepburn and both Fondas have become synonymous with ‘On Golden Pond,’” adds Ackroyd. “but in actuality our cast is much closer to the original in type and temperament. Stars always tend to overshadow the roles they play and Hepburn’s steeliness and Fonda’s charm inevitably altered playwright Ernest Thompson’s concept of the characters that were based on his own grandparents.”

Coincidentally, Ackroyd has a history with the original actors in the Broadway show of “On Golden Pond.”

“The original Broadway cast included Frannie Sternhagen as Ethel and Tom Aldredge as Norman, both primarily stage actors with long and distinguished careers,” remembers Ackroyd. “A hundred years ago, I worked with both of them on TV and, trust me, neither of them is even remotely like their counterparts in the film. Frannie is small and feisty, as capable of a pratfall as bringing an audience to tears, and Tom was a wiry, versatile chameleon, at home in dramatic, comic and musical roles. And in temperament they strike me as quite similar to our leads, Susi Kohler and Tony Hernandez. In fact, I may be biased, but I think the entire cast is ideally suited for their roles.”

The production features Tony Hernandez as Norman, Susi Kohler as Ethel, Kim Krueger as daughter Chelsea, David Reese as fiancé Charlie, Dashiell Schindler as young Billy Ray, and Corey Burke as the older Bill Ray.

“The fun of working with these actors has been in watching them discover the deep roots of the familial conflict at the heart of the play,” observes Ackroyd. “As Tolstoy famously wrote, ‘All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.’ In this particular family, the challenge has been to find the balance between its dysfunction and each member’s fundamental decency.”

“It’s tricky because the tone of ‘On Golden Pond’ is mostly light and Norman is one of the funniest old codgers in the history of theatre, but at its core, the play is about the effort to resolve long-standing issues that have effected this family for more than 30 years.”

Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $10 for students, with reserved seating. Tickets for the sneak preview performance on April 13 are $10 with tickets sold only at the door.

Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office, 1 Central Ave., Whitefish, or by calling 862-5371. Box office hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and one hour before performance times. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.whitefishtheatreco.org.

This show is sponsored by the WGM Group and Rebecca & Ched Lyman.