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The Foreigner

Presented by Germantown Community Theatre at Germantown Community Theatre

May 6-May 22, 2011

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Written by Larry Shue. When Charlie, a desperately shy Englishman, comes to a rural fishing lodge in Georgia, he pretends to be a foreigner from an exotic country who doesn’t know English so he won’t have to talk to the locals. Hilarious intrigue ensues as Charlie finds himself witness to bizarre schemes and dark secrets by people who think he can’t understand a word being said. The confusion fuels nonstop merriment leading to the unlikely and uproarious climax of this side-splitting and entertaining comedy.

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Venue Info

    Germantown Community Theatre

    3037 Forest Hill Irene Rd.
    Germantown, TN 38138

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets:

    $20.00: Adults $15.00: Seniors/Students** $10.00: Kids under 12 **Students must present valid student ID

    Info Phone: (901)937-3023

    Email

  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    May 6-May 22, 2011

    Times:
    

    Show times: Thursdays 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 8 pm and Sundays 2:30 pm

  • Accessibility Info

    

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  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: The Foreigner
      "Find The Foreigner in Germantown, You’ll Be Glad You Did"
      Comment posted by: George Conroy - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, May 05, 2011
      

      At first this comedy feels like a drama, and later, when the Ku Klux Klan appears, it is chilling. However, ultimately it is a mystery story that is a lot of fun. Every single cast member has... Expand

      At first this comedy feels like a drama, and later, when the Ku Klux Klan appears, it is chilling. However, ultimately it is a mystery story that is a lot of fun. Every single cast member has incredibly terrific comic timing, and many parts of the show are deep-down-belly-laugh funny. The action takes place in a fishing lodge in rural Georgia run by an affable widow, Betty Meeks (Martha Graber.) She is friends with a jovial English demolitions expert, Sgt. “Froggy” LeSueur (Jason Spitzer), who visits Georgia periodically to train American forces. On this particular trip, he brings along a friend from England, Charlie Baker (John Rone), who is depressed because his wife has been cheating on him. Froggy hopes that some rest and relaxation at Betty’s lodge will cheer Charlie up. However, Charlie’s self-confidence is so low that the thought of socializing with the other guests at the lodge – or with anyone – is paralyzing. He begs Froggy to “do something” so that he doesn’t have to. On the spur of the moment, Froggy tells Betty that Charlie doesn’t understand English and therefore wants to be left alone. Betty hears the first part, but not the second. She takes Charlie the “foreigner” under her wing and tries to communicate with him. This is when the story changes from drama to comedy. “He don’t understand no English even if it’s spoke real loud,” Betty explains to another lodge guest…and we’re off. Meanwhile, also staying at the lodge are the seemingly fine-and-upstanding Rev. David Marshall Lee (Brian Everson) and his fiancée, the former debutante Catherine Simms (Emily Childers). Catherine’s sweet but mentally challenged younger brother, Ellard Simms (Jeff Posson), earnestly tries to teach the foreigner English, including the pronunciation of words such as “fork,” which has, as we know in this part of the country, two syllables. Oafish local sheriff-wannabe Owen Musser (Sam Weakley) taunts the foreigner for “fun.” When you meet Mr. Weakley you’ll surely agree that should he ever require an understudy Larry The Cable Guy would be a perfect candidate! Because they all think that Charlie can’t understand a word they’re saying, they speak their secrets in front of him. He begins to forget his own troubles by helping the good guys prevail over the bad guys from under cover of his foreigner role. The Actors and the Music John Rone is definitely a pleasure to watch, especially because so much of his humor is non-verbal, and also because we get to see his character Charlie blossom from a reserved, depressed, fearful man into a still English but more relaxed and happier man. From Mr. Rone’s every movement, every facial expression is purposeful. Mr. Rone reprises a role he has played three times over the years on the Germantown Community Theatre stage. Everyone is in this cast is strong, not a weak link in the 2 hour long chain. John Rone is the versatile and consummate theatre professional, the star of the show to be sure, but everyone here is a treat, from their comic timing to their characters’ accents to their personalities to the way they move to the way they interact with the each other. You’ll think Jason Spitzer as Froggy, for example, arrived in Germantown directly from London’s west end theatre district. There is no live music during this show, but the recorded music between scenes is perfectly selected to enhance the entire experience. Collapse

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    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

• Member
  Reviews

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: The Foreigner
      "Find The Foreigner in Germantown, You’ll Be Glad You Did"
      Comment posted by: George Conroy - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, May 05, 2011
      

      At first this comedy feels like a drama, and later, when the Ku Klux Klan appears, it is chilling. However, ultimately it is a mystery story that is a lot of fun. Every single cast member has... Expand

      At first this comedy feels like a drama, and later, when the Ku Klux Klan appears, it is chilling. However, ultimately it is a mystery story that is a lot of fun. Every single cast member has incredibly terrific comic timing, and many parts of the show are deep-down-belly-laugh funny. The action takes place in a fishing lodge in rural Georgia run by an affable widow, Betty Meeks (Martha Graber.) She is friends with a jovial English demolitions expert, Sgt. “Froggy” LeSueur (Jason Spitzer), who visits Georgia periodically to train American forces. On this particular trip, he brings along a friend from England, Charlie Baker (John Rone), who is depressed because his wife has been cheating on him. Froggy hopes that some rest and relaxation at Betty’s lodge will cheer Charlie up. However, Charlie’s self-confidence is so low that the thought of socializing with the other guests at the lodge – or with anyone – is paralyzing. He begs Froggy to “do something” so that he doesn’t have to. On the spur of the moment, Froggy tells Betty that Charlie doesn’t understand English and therefore wants to be left alone. Betty hears the first part, but not the second. She takes Charlie the “foreigner” under her wing and tries to communicate with him. This is when the story changes from drama to comedy. “He don’t understand no English even if it’s spoke real loud,” Betty explains to another lodge guest…and we’re off. Meanwhile, also staying at the lodge are the seemingly fine-and-upstanding Rev. David Marshall Lee (Brian Everson) and his fiancée, the former debutante Catherine Simms (Emily Childers). Catherine’s sweet but mentally challenged younger brother, Ellard Simms (Jeff Posson), earnestly tries to teach the foreigner English, including the pronunciation of words such as “fork,” which has, as we know in this part of the country, two syllables. Oafish local sheriff-wannabe Owen Musser (Sam Weakley) taunts the foreigner for “fun.” When you meet Mr. Weakley you’ll surely agree that should he ever require an understudy Larry The Cable Guy would be a perfect candidate! Because they all think that Charlie can’t understand a word they’re saying, they speak their secrets in front of him. He begins to forget his own troubles by helping the good guys prevail over the bad guys from under cover of his foreigner role. The Actors and the Music John Rone is definitely a pleasure to watch, especially because so much of his humor is non-verbal, and also because we get to see his character Charlie blossom from a reserved, depressed, fearful man into a still English but more relaxed and happier man. From Mr. Rone’s every movement, every facial expression is purposeful. Mr. Rone reprises a role he has played three times over the years on the Germantown Community Theatre stage. Everyone is in this cast is strong, not a weak link in the 2 hour long chain. John Rone is the versatile and consummate theatre professional, the star of the show to be sure, but everyone here is a treat, from their comic timing to their characters’ accents to their personalities to the way they move to the way they interact with the each other. You’ll think Jason Spitzer as Froggy, for example, arrived in Germantown directly from London’s west end theatre district. There is no live music during this show, but the recorded music between scenes is perfectly selected to enhance the entire experience. Collapse

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    • McDonald Murmann Women's Clinic - 7705 Poplar Avenue, Suite 110, Germantown, TN 38138
      Phone: (901)-752-4500