Bus Stop
by William Inge
directed by Penny Nash
Thurs.-Sat., Oct. 8-24, 8:00 p.m.
The Davies Foundation Auditorium
52 Church St., Kingston, ON
 Jennifer Verardi, Andy Palmer, Ben Hudson and Robert McMahon |
In the middle of a howling snowstorm, a bus out of Kansas City pulls up at a roadside diner. The weary travelers are going to have to hole up until morning. During the night their stories unfold, all to do with various aspects of love.
Cherie, a nightclub chanteuse, is being pursued, made love to and finally kidnapped by Bo, a cowboy with a ranch of his own and the romantic methods of an unusually headstrong bull. But Cherie is less innocent than she seems, and Bo more so.
 Madelin Dawson and Robert Bruce |
Grace, the proprietor of the cafe, admits that since her husband left many years ago she is sometimes lonesome, but "I got just as lonesome when he was here." While the bus is stranded Grace and Carl the bus driver at last find time to develop a friendship of their own.
 Yvonne Neatby and Robert Bruce |
Dr. Lyman, a middle-aged scholar who agrees he is smart but wishes he were intelligent, takes an interest in Elma, a young girl who works in the cafe and is pleasantly surprised at the older man paying attention to her. She later understands his interest better, and he begins to come to terms with himself.
Meanwhile Virgil, a ranch hand travelling with Bo, carries on with the solitary existence he has chosen, and the local sheriff Will keeps order with calm and wisdom.
Bus Stop premiered on Broadway in March 1955 and ran for 478 performances. It had revivals in New York in 1996 and in London in 2010-2011. The 1956 film of the same name, starring Marilyn Monroe, is loosely based on this play and another by Inge called People of the Wind. There was also a television series based on the play in 1961-62.
Cast |
|
| Grace | Yvonne Neatby |
| Grace (alternate) | Lorna Jodoin |
| Elma | Madelin Dawson |
| Will | Robert McMahon |
| Professor | Robert Bruce |
| Cherie | Jennifer Verardi |
| Carl | Richard Palimaka |
| Bo | Ben Hudson |
| Virgil | Andy Palmer |
Production Crew |
|
| Producers | William Morrow Jay Steglich |
| Director | Penny Nash |
| Director's Assistant | Lisa Flannagan |
| Stage Manager | Cori Schroder |
| Asst. Stage Manager | Angie Roberts |
| Set Design/Chief Carpenter | Grant Buckler |
| Lighting Design | David L. Smith |
| Sound Design | James Gow |
| Costume Design | Penny Nash Claudia Wade |
| Set Dressing/Properties | Diane Clarke Elaine Otter |
| Lighting/Sound Operator | Jack Ferlong |
| Backstage Hand | Sarah O'Hearon |
| Set Construction | Bob Brooks John Corrigan Michael Gourgon James Gow Rick Jodoin Doug McNichol |
| Set Painting | Grant Buckler John Corrigan James Gow Lorna Jodoin Doug McNichol Penny Nash Angie Roberts Bern Steglich Jay Steglich |
| Lobby Photography | Claudia Wade |
| Archival Photography | Grant Buckler |
| Lobby Art Curator | Karen Peperkorn |
| Front of House Co-ordinator | Steve Powell |