Left in waiting room purgatory, the patients of Dr. Enbridge are left to help themselves in the upcoming Self-Help by Dummiez by Many Hats Theatre.
Sharon Moriarty, who has sat in the big chair for plays in Oliver in the past, is making her directorial debut as a Many Hats director.
“It’s going very good except for all those divas, you know?” Moriarty laughed, gesturing to some cast members.
With 15 performances, starting April 6, she gets to know the play better compared to a few weekend shows.
“It gets better and better. I always say by the 15th performance you’ve got it down,” Moriarity said.
Self-Help by Dummiez, a Canadian play by T. Gregory Argall and Todd McGinni, takes place in the waiting room of an often-absent psychiatrist’s office with an ironic sign on the wall stating “I’m here for you.”
Patients including a self-help guru, an apologist, patients with anger issues and more end up left to explore each other’s psyches.
With many of the actors having worked together before, it has helped bring a genuine nature to character’s interactions.
“We have a lot of very wise actors, and they love it. Which is really great, they just put their all into it,” Moriarty said.
It walks a tight rope between invoking emotion and laughter, said Christa Phillips, who plays the receptionist, Mrs. Winters.
“They are funny, but there are also some nice, touching stories there about real people. Which is the best kind of writing, I think, is when something can be really, really funny and turn around and kind of get you at the same time,” Phillips said.
The fast-paced dialogue between the variety of characters can make for some interesting interactions, she said. It plays out as an exploration of the human mind with the patients bouncing off of each other’s idiosyncrasies.
“As complete human beings I think we’re full of comedy, but we’re also very serious and in between those two places you just kind of get real life,” Phillips said.
Vance Potter plays Matt Portico, an apologist who is trying not to be so sorry through therapy. It was at least partially easy to get into the character as a Canadian, Potter said.
“I do say ‘I’m sorry’ a lot, so that wasn’t very hard,” Potter laughed. “But the character is a little meeker than I would be. It was interesting also, because it’s a comedy, to build the character up more. So he’s more funny than just going around saying ‘I’m sorry.’”
While the play is an exploration of the inner workings of the mine, it also explores something else.
“Waiting rooms,” Potter said. “You go to your doctor or anything and you’re stuck in that waiting room waiting for him to show up. You have no clue where the doctor is, what he’s doing. Whether it’s important or not.”
Dianna Zumpano-Gin, a newcomer to Many Hats Theatre, is making her debut on the Cannery stage. Playing Chastity Gespate, her character is a challenging one, far and away from her personality. Gespate is a flirtatious, “nymphomaniacal virgin.”
Loving theatre in high school, Zumpano-Gin focused on her studies and always hoped to return to the stage.
“I’m nervous, but the cast is so fantastic. We’ve had lots of laughs. They’re very understanding and professional,” Zumpano-Gin said.
Funnily enough, in real life Phillips role as the receptionist at one time used to be Zumpano-Gin’s job.
“It’s interesting being on this side of things,” Zumpano-Gin laughed. “It’s fun to just kind of dive into it. The other characters are very interesting. They play it really well. I’m so impressed with their monologues and how prepared they are.”
Perhaps the most difficult part for Zumpano-Gin will be keeping a straight face during scenes featuring Jane Pilkey.
“Jane is so funny. I find it very hard, I think I will find it very hard, to not laugh on stage because she’s just fantastic,” Zumpano-Gin said. “I think people will really enjoy her as Mrs. Quackenbush, she was perfect for it.”
Self-Help by Dummiez runs April 6 to 29 Thursday through Friday at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinées at 2 p.m. at The Cannery Stage.
Tickets $22 for adults $19 for seniors and students at The Nest and Nectar