‘Foreigner’ brings world of laughs to Stage 3
Stage 3 Theater Company opens its 2010 season with a solid hit, “The Foreigner.”
The venerable Larry Shue comedy is flawlessly directed by Maryann Curmi with a sharp, wide-ranging cast in a first-rate production.
Opening night provided a bright forecast for the rest of the season, with a full house gleefully endorsing the troupe's efforts.
“The Foreigner” boasts a fast-paced, well-constructed script brimming with both abundant one-liners and elaborately woven payoffs. It is thoroughly humorous, yet seasoned with human darkness, resulting in an engrossing journey and satisfying conclusion.
David Braga shines in the title role, progressing seamlessly from paralyzing dullness to favored guest and ultimately to rescuing hero. It’s a landmark performance...
John Bell ably fills the boots of Froggy LeSueur, entering like a ball of fire and combining a boisterous, confident air with a well-tuned sense of friendship and loyalty.
Sharon Perras, returning to Stage 3 after last season’s hit “Grace and Glorie,” turns in another star performance as lodge owner Betty Meeks...
Al Lemke fully embodies the Rev. David Marshall Lee, the scariest preacher since Robert Mitchum in “The Night of the Hunter.”...
His fiancee, Catherine Simms, is artfully played by Michelle Woodall, who also undergoes a major transformation. Frankly unlikable in her early scenes, her hardened veneer slowly dissolves as she reveals her true thoughts to Charlie...
Rob Smittle turns in a fine performance as Ellard Simms, Catherine’s dimwitted brother. He is charged with portraying benign mental deficiency while still maintaining his own distinct personality.
At the other extreme, Michael Crich embodies pure evil as Owen Musser, a corrupt county official who sinks even lower as a violent racist. It’s easy to hate Musser, but you have to love Crich.