Village of Idiots
by John Lazarus
directed by Gord Love
Thurs.-Sat., March 2-18, 7:30 p.m.
The Davies Foundation Auditorium
52 Church St., Kingston, ON
 Foreground left to right: Garret McCrae, Hayley Hudson, Angie Dorey, Cassel Miles, Renee O'Farrell, Dylan Chenier, Michael Capon. Beth Sirett, Vanessa Delzotto Hammond, Damien Schaefer, Poul Busk. Above: Esme Purdy |
“People come in two varieties," explains the Rabbi of Chelm. "Chelmniks, and the less fortunate: the Outsiders. Outsiders console themselves by calling Chelmniks a bunch of idiots.
When one outsider, Yosef, arrives in Chelm, he can see how the village got its reputation. Having "stocked" their river with pickled herring a year ago, the villagers are now ready to harvest their catch. Fires are supposedly put out by blowing a magic trumpet.
Josef remains in Chelm, not least because he has met another outsider, Miriam. But his amusement at the village's unusual way of doing things is soon mixed with concern about an impending attack by the Czar's soldiers. He cannot believe the kind, simple Chelmniks when they say the Cossacks will be no match for their unusual wisdom.
 Damien Schaefer, Jarret Hains, Vanessa Delzotto Hammond |
Village of Idiots is based on classic Jewish folk tales. Commissioned and first performed by Young People's Theatre in Toronto in 1985, it has had many subsequent productions, including a staged reading at the 92nd Street Y in New York and a production in Italian in Venice. It was adapted by the author into both an award-winning National Film Board short and an award-winning CBC Radio miniseries.
Cast |
|
| The Child | Esme Purdy |
| Zalman | Jarret Hains |
| Zlateh | Vanessa Delzotto Hammond |
| Mesholem | Cassel Miles |
| Yosef | Damien Schaefer |
| Schmendrick | Garrett McCrae |
| Zisyah | Dylan Chenier |
| Soldiers/Chelmniks | Grant Buckler Oscar Cadeau Mitch Nasheim Phyllis Scully Beth Sirett |
| Rabbi | Michael Capon |
| Feyvel | Poul Busk |
| Feigela | Naomi Greer Ballance |
| Yossel | Ben Hudson |
| Iska | Hayley Hudson |
| Rebbetsin | Renée O'Farrell |
| Miriam | Angie Dorey |
| Gittel | Elizabeth Taylor |
| Cossack Officer | Mitch Nasheim |
| Brodsky | Grant Buckler |
Production Crew |
|
| Producers | Martin Fobert Rachel Kelleher |
| Director | Gord Love |
| Assistant Director | Kim Dressel |
| Stage Manager | Leslee Oliver |
| Asst. Stage Managers | Pauline Jodoin Linda Hamstra Marlene Buttress Josh Smith Rick Jodoin |
| Choreographer | Sue Del-Mei |
| Speech Adviser | Karen Corkey |
| Set Design | David Row |
| Lighting Design | David L. Smith |
| Sound Design & Operation | Kim Dressel |
| Sound Adviser | Michael Gourgon |
| Costume Design | Rachel Vandenberg |
| Assisted by | Katie McNeill |
| Clarinet and Accordion | Spencer Evans |
| Percussion | Andy Love |
| Rehearsal Understudy | Josh Smith |
| Dance Captain | Cassel Miles |
| Chief Carpenter | Dave Oliver |
| Props | Elizabeth Taylor |
| Lighting Operator | Alexandra Cooper |
| Set Construction | Bob Brooks Grant Buckler Richard Flude Michael Gourgon James Gow Lorna Jodoin Tony McDermott Doug McNichol David Row Elizabeth Taylor |
| Set Painting | Richard Flude Gord Love Larry O'Farrell Renée O'Farrell James Gow David Row Rick Jodoin |
| Lobby & Archival Photography | Grant Buckler |
| Poster Design | Katie Flower-Smith |
| Lobby Art Curator | Karen Peperkorn |
| Front of House Co-ordinator | Steve Powell |