‘Love! Valor! Compassion!’ choreographer Jody Person rehearses with cast members Jonathan Polanco (Hamilton), Williams Mercado (Hightstown), Chris Arena (Ewing), Mark Applegate (Hamilton) and Lynn Baskin (Lambertville).
PinnWorth Productions is set to present Love! Valor! Compassion! at Kelsey Theatre in January.
Set against an idyllic lakeside backdrop, the drama of the real world is never far from view as eight friends gather over three summer weekends in Love! Valor! Compassion!.
Theater goers are invited into the lives of a group of friends as they celebrate Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day at the vacation home of Gregory, an aging Broadway choreographer, and his twenty-something lover, Bobby. Their guests include Arthur and Perry, an affectionate professional couple of long standing, the irresistible dancer Ramon, a soured ex-patriot Brit John Jeckyll, his gentle twin brother James and Buzz, a costume designer and maniacal lover of musical theater.
Flirtations and skinny-dipping combine with soul-searching, truth-telling, and monumental questions about life and death in the era of AIDS. At turns poignant and hilarious, the action culminates in a wacky dress rehearsal for Swan Lake, performed in tutus.
The cast includes Mark Applegate of Hamilton as Bobby; Chris Arena of Ewing as Perry; Lynn Baskin of Lambertville as Gregory; Tony DiDia of Toms River as Arthur; Bill King of Interlaken in the dual role of James Jeckyll and his brother, John; William Mercado of Hightstown as Ramon; and Jonathan Polanco of Hamilton as Buzz.
Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Jan. 10, 11, 17 and 18; and 2 p.m. Jan. 12 and 19. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Jan. 10.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $14 for students and children.
More information is online at kelseytheatre.net.
