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During the run of this production, the Vokes
Players are happy to be working with The Food Project, a community
organization based in |
Vokes
Players
The Drawer Boy
by
Michael Healey
Beatrice Herford’s Vokes
Theatre, Route 20 in Wayland, MA
May 1st through May 17th
Thursday-Saturday evenings at 8PM
For
tickets and information call 508-358-4034
Ticket prices are $13.00 for Thursday evenings & Sat matinees and $16.00
for Friday & Saturday evenings.
 |
| Brad Walters & John Small. Photo by Donnie Baillargeon |
The
Drawer Boy
is based on the true story of the creation of Theatre Passe Muraille’s
Farm Show, which was developed
by a group of actors who went to live in
Miles, an
idealistic, naive young actor, hopes to move in with some of the local
farmers in rural
The
Drawer Boy
is a humorous heartwarming play about the simple pleasures of friendship,
storytelling and remembrance. But more than that, it’s a rare and
profound contemplation on the power of theatre to provoke change, encourage
healing, and to tell the truth. Don’t miss your opportunity to see the
area premier of this wonderfully understated play, named one of Time
Magazine’s Ten Best Plays of 2001.
Vokes Players' Drawer Boy Brings Heart to Canada's Heartland
 |
| Brad Walters, John Small & Robin
Gabrielli Photo by Donnie Baillargeon |
 John Small |
 |
 Brad Walters |
 |
 Robin Gabrielli |
 |
| Rehearsal photos by Jean MacFarland | |
WAYLAND, MA: From Canada's heartland comes an award-winning play that has grown in popularity throughout the world since its debut eight years ago. Michael Healey's The Drawer Boy is a warm, rich, jewel of a play - touching, funny, original and always surprising. Named one of the top ten of 2001 by Time Magazine, the play now has translations performed in Japanese, German and French. But you need only hear English when characters Morgan, Angus and Miles speak from their hearts at Beatrice Herford's Vokes Theatre on Route 20 from May 1 thru 17.
A young idealistic actor knocks on the door of a modest Ontario farm house, asking if he can live there and observe the day-to-day lives of its residents as research for a theatre project. Simple enough, right? Ironically, a group of actors from a Toronto theatre company really did once knock on rural doors in an attempt to immerse themselves into the culture of Canadian cow country, resulting in a 1972 documentary play called The Farm Show. Although playwright Healey was less than ten years old at the time, The Drawer Boy takes its inspiration from this event and twists it into a tale of the healing nature of art.
Boyhood friends Morgan and Angus have been living together as farmers since the two of them returned home from World War II, where Angus suffered a brain injury leaving him with little capacity for memory. Aside from knowing his trusted friend and being aware of his household surroundings, his life is continually in the present. Morgan, a direct and dedicated man, has been taking care of his pal nearly thirty years. Making little income from their farm, aside from the ability to keep themselves fed, their lives are that of a continual, predictable cycle of growing things and killing things and growing them again.
When the physical labor-challenged Miles offers up his services, Morgan has no interest in his art but is not one to turn down free assistance. There are the expected mishaps when Miles tries to handle farm equipment, as well as culture clashes when he inadvertently talks down to his hosts while discussing his political and sociological views. In turn, Morgan leads the impressionable youth to believe that cows try extra hard to give milk because they know the one with the least output will be the next sent to slaughter, and that you must continually rotate eggs from one chicken to another so they don't develop an attachment and become depressed when you take their unhatched offspring away.
Most importantly, Morgan's main concern is to make Angus' life as pleasant as possible. Every night he comforts his friend with a bedtime story of their years together. Before the war, Angus had a talent for art, so Morgan refers to themselves as "the farmer boy" and "the drawer boy". When Miles starts overhearing these private moments he develops Morgan's story into a scene for his play, not mentioning it to them until the two farmers are invited to see a rehearsal. The effect this experience has on both of them is loaded with twists and surprises, revealing unexpected aspects of their friendship.
At its core, The Drawer Boy is a simple story of devotion and sacrifice on a small Canadian farm. The power and impact of storytelling is at the heart of this play: how the telling and re-telling of our stories energizes us and allows us to pass on deep truths that often cannot be expressed any other way. It is a story about the resilience of the human spirit and the regenerative ability of the soul. Above all, it is about the rewards of friendship, the serendipity of the happy chance, and the redemptive power of laughter.
Vokes Players MetroWest Regional Premiere production of The Drawer Boy is directed by JulieAnn Charest Govang, assisted by Jean MacFarland. It features Concord-resident John Small and Malden's Brad Walters as farmers Morgan and Angus. Joining them is Robin Gabrielli of Newton, portraying the young actor/playwright Miles.
Performances run Thursdays thru Saturdays, May 1 thru 17. For tickets and information, visit www.vokesplayers.org or call (508) 358-4034.
"Wonderfully understated. Funny and
deeply affecting." -- John Coulbourn, The Toronto
Sun
Sheer magic ... a moving tribute to art's healing
power ... the crowd stormed to its feet, cheering with an enthusiasm usually
found only at rock concerts." -- John Bemrose,
Maclean's