A new product will hit the market April 4-6 when Baraboo Theatre Guild presents “Inconvenience Store” at the Al. Ringling Theatre.
Written by Ben Bromley of Baraboo – a founding CAB Theatre member, the new comedy features a mismatched band of Cheeseheads who find themselves trapped inside a convenience store during a hellacious storm and a robbery attempt.
“Our board jumped at the opportunity to produce a new play written by one of our members,” said Katie James, Baraboo Theatre Guild president. “Taking a new play from the page to the stage can be an invaluable opportunity for the cast and crew, as well as the playwright.”
Director Scott Rawson set the cast of eight actors and is leading them in rehearsals, with help from assistant Emily Reno. “Building a production from the ground up is a special challenge,” Rawson said. “The cast is enjoying Ben’s often wacky, sometimes thoughtful dialogue.”
“Inconvenience Store” is full of references to Wisconsin’s cultural institutions. It’s populated by characters who audiences may feel like they’ve met in real life. “This is a play about Wisconsin, from Wisconsin, and for Wisconsin,” Bromley said.
Leading the cast are Dale Loomis as a wisecracking customer, Sydney Van Gelder and Chelsea Duffield as clerks and Carroll McDonald as the bungling robber. They’re joined by Genny Petrulis as the local space cadet, Ben Raupp as the store manager, Michael Riley as a disgruntled customer and Brian Domenget as a cop.
The new comedy will be Bromley’s second play at the Ringling Theatre. His first, titled “Fishwrap” and based on his experiences in the newspaper industry, was staged as a fundraiser for “the Al.” in 2014.
“I’m grateful to the BTG board for taking a chance on an unknown play,” Bromley said. “I think the cast and the audience will smile as they see a mirror held up to their faces as Wisconsinites.”
Performances are set for 7 p.m. Friday, April 4; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 5; and 5 p.m. Sunday, April 6. Tickets are available via the theatre website.
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