The Chilliwack Players Guild is kicking off its season with a show that will give people a good laugh.
The local theatre company presents comedy The Glitter Girls at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre from Nov. 23 to Dec. 3.
“It’s got lots of humour. It’s fluff, but it’s entertaining fluff. People will enjoy themselves,” said director Raymond Hatton. “This is a fun opening show for our season.”
Set in the fictional North Georgia town of Hickman Hills, the play revolves around an ad hoc meeting of a women’s social club called The Glitter Girls. The meeting is convened by its richest member Trudy Tromaine.
Trudy has sold her snood factory for $51 million. (A snood is a knit or crocheted piece of headgear women wear at the back of their head to hold their bun.) She wants to give $16 million to one of the Glitter Girls and is hoping that woman will divide it among all the other members.
“She gets them together on the pretext that she’s sick and she’s dying,” Hatton said.
After gathering the women on the backyard patio of her mansion, Trudy leaves and the Glitter Girls talk about who’s most deserving of the money. Unbeknownst to them, she has bugged her patio and is listening to everything they’re saying.
“Then all the dirty laundry comes out,” Hatton said. “Each woman has a specific story.”
The play is described as Steel Magnolias meets Survivor. It starts playful, then they start getting snarly with each other over the money.
Krysandra Wilson, who’s been with the guild since 2002, plays Valerie Fairhope and said she loves how her character owns who she is.
“She doesn’t hide it, she knows that she’s a bit of a floozy… but she doesn’t pretend that she’s somebody else. She’s open, she’s honest, she’s totally comfortable with herself and I really respect that about Val.”
The cast of 10 includes seven women and three men. Hatton said the play is a great fit for the guild as they were able to cast it very well within their members.
“I really like the funny dynamic between the women,” Wilson said. “Everyone is friends, but they’re not afraid to give quips and jabs, and poke at each other.”
And although it’s a really funny play, there are a lot of tender moments in it, Hatton added.
The two-act play takes place in real time, over the course of one afternoon. There are no scene changes and no blackouts.
The play is fun, has humour and good character progressions, and it’s relatable, Wilson said.
“It’s a really fun night out in terms of letting yourself laugh and enjoy the characters and enjoy the story line,” she said. “It’s not something that’s super heavy. It’s fun and light.”
The Chilliwack Players Guild presents The Glitter Girls Nov. 23 to Dec. 3 in the Rotary Hall Studio Theatre at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre. Show times are: Nov. 23, 24, 25, 30, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.; and two matinees at 2 p.m. on Nov. 26 and Dec. 3.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $27.50 for seniors and youth. Tickets can be purchased at the Centre Box Office, online at chilliwackculturalcentre.ca, or by calling 604-391-SHOW(7469).
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