M*A*S*H performances this weekend and next at SWPH
“It’s like a big family. That’s what it’s like to me. It’s just so much fun,” Sean Todd Williams said of M*A*S*H, the first show of the season at the Southwest Playhouse.
Friday evening was opening night for the play, but community members have several opportunities to see the Korean War comedy this weekend and next.
The show begins with the arrival of two new surgeons, Capt. Benjamin Pierce and Capt. Augustus Forrest, who prefer to go by “Hawkeye” and “Duke” respectively. The two are recent recruits in the U.S. Army Medical Corps who are sent to South Korea to aid in the war effort.
Hawkeye, played by Gavin Houck, and Duke, played by Williams, cause trouble as soon as they arrive to the medical base. The two are undeniably talented surgeons but they aren’t respectful of the rigid rules of the military.
The nurses and Korean friends on the base love the men, but the official personnel try to keep them in check. Bunkhouse pranks and rowdiness ensue as the M*A*S*H crew tries to make the best of their time in Korea.
One bright moment for the military men occurs when a Jeep breaks down and a tapdancing trio finds shelter in their camp. The girls were sent to Korea to keep morale high, and the M*A*S*H men are obliged to help them with their goal.
Fritzi Bonwit is one of the performers, and she is played by Samantha Rother who has a special appreciation for the Southwest Playhouse.
“This is where I really found my love of theatre, so to be around people who appreciate it as much as I do is very fun and rewarding,” Rother said.
The young actress has been a leading lady in several shows, but her role in M*A*S*H doesn’t require too much onstage time. She said she has enjoyed “getting to sit back and watch the magic come together.”
The “magic” of the show can largely be credited to the director, Blair Barnett. Barnett has performed in many shows at the Playhouse, and she has co-directed previous performances, but M*A*S*H is her solo-directing debut.
“Blair has never directed anything here before and she has been phenomenal. I think she has added so much just by being so enthusiastic,” Izzy O’Blenness said. O’Blenness plays the role of Lt. Nancy Phillips, a nurse. “We’ve been in a lot of plays with her, but this is even better.”
While there are several humorous sub-plots in the show, the main plot surrounds Ho-Jon, played by Ryder Adams, a Korean friend who spends lots of time on base. When the crew learns of his dreams of attending medical school in the United States, they do everything in their power to raise money for the young man.
One of their main endeavors to raise funding is by betting on themselves in a football game. This lively scene was not only entertaining for the audience, but it was also a favorite moment for several actors.
“The football scene is so fun because we’re with our friends who are almost family. We get so excited and it’s so much fun,” O’Blenness said.
Williams, who is backstage during that scene, said he still feels the excitement even though he is not on stage. He hopes families will come watch the show and have a good time together. “I just like to make people laugh and help them have a good time,” he said.
Rother said she knew nothing about M*A*S*H before this show but because of the play, she has discovered her love for the classic show.
“I hope there are other kids like me who can come with their families who have no clue and maybe discover this as well because I really enjoy the TV show and I didn’t think I would,” she said.
O’Blenness also commented on the joy of sharing a story with others. “The community is wonderful. You get to see that there are certain shows that will change peoples’ lives,” she said. “Getting that kind of feedback makes you feel so good because you put in so much effort, and then when the people like it, you feel like you did something for them.”
For a night full of laughter and memories of the 1950s, visit the Southwest Playhouse this weekend or next to watch M*A*S*H. The show tonight begins at 7:30 p.m. with more shows taking place at the same time September 16 and 17. There will be performances at 2 p.m. September 11 and 18.
Tickets for the show can be purchased at southwestplayhouse.com. They are $16 for adults, $12 for students and $10 for children.