Marriage is a deeply personal journey filled with love, passion and, hopefully, a little good humor. Actors Collaborative Toledo is putting matrimony under the microscope with its production of “Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays” at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at The Village Players Theatre.
The collection of monologues and short plays was penned by some of modern American theater’s best and brightest, including Mo Gaffney, Jordan Harrison, Moisés Kaufman, Neil LaBute, Wendy MacLeod, José Rivera, Paul Rudnick and Doug Wright.
The local production, which is a fundraiser for Equality Toledo, is being directed by Jeffrey J. Albright, Barbara Barkan, Joe Capucini, John Duvall, Carol Ann Erford and Jake Gordy. It features JD McIntyre, Matthew Gretzinger, Aggie Alt, Samanthia Rousos, Barbara Barkan, Jeffrey J. Albright, Kate Argow, Zac Gilley, Natalie Bostleman Brown, John Duvall, Jake Gordy, Carol Ann Erford and Joe Capucini.
“This show came about because my producing partners and I had heard about the original production and just decided that it was something that we really wanted to do. One of the things that I enjoy about this show is that while it addresses gay marriage, it doesn’t feel the need to beat its audience over the head with it,” Albright said. “It can be very easy for a lot of people in the gay and lesbian community to talk about equal rights, but with equal rights come equal responsibilities. My own partner and I got married a few years ago, and for us it wasn’t political, just simply a personal gesture that allowed us the opportunity to say ‘I do.’
“For hundreds of years most people’s idea of marriage has been a man and a woman and you have to expect that gay marriage is going to create a dialogue and just hope that people are open to the conversation. And that’s our hope with this production, that it at least opens people up to the conversation and gets them talking to one another.”
There will be a reception following the show with food, drinks, and music at the Mansion View Inn, 2035 Collingwood Blvd., at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 the for play only; $40 includes reception or $70 for two tickets to the play and reception. They may be purchased online at www.equalitytoledo.org. The Village Players Theatre is located at 2740 Upton Ave.
For more information, e-mail info@equality toledo.org.
