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A Real estate buy you can laugh at

Penticton troupe Many Hats Theatre Company’s latest production, Real Estate
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The Many Hats Theatre Company is set to debut their new production Real Estate on Sept. 7. Left to right, Vance Potter, playing want-to-be writer Joel, Jane Stead, as the ex-wife, and Vance Potter, as the new boyfriend. Photo courtesy of Ed Schneider

Need a break from the stress surrounding the housing market?

The upcoming production of Real Estate by Many Hats Theatre Company is sure to make you laugh so hard you’ll forget about impending interest hikes or lack of housing options in the South Okanagan.

The play, which opens Sept. 7 at the Cannery Stage Theatre at 1475 Fairview Ave., starts out with a want-to-be writer alone in his parents’ house.

“Theres a knock at the door. Who is it, but a woman who says she’s a real estate agent. She comes in and sizes up the place and comes to the conclusion that it’s a a pretty good fixer upper and so is he,” director Jaime Eberle said with a laugh.

Of course just as things start to heat up between Joel, played by Vance Potter, and his new realtor his soon to be ex-wife arrives with her new boyfriend.

The rest of the play the audience is taken through a funny journey of determining which two characters make the best coupling.

“I’m not going to tell the end. Who ends up with whom. You’ll have to come see the show to find out,” he said.

Real Estate is written by Canadian playwright Allana Harkin, also a writer and producer on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and is a writer/performer with the Atomic Fireballs sketch troupe.

“One thing I liked about it right off the bat is that it’s Canadian and I like that for two reasons. I like to support Canadian playwrights, although I wouldn’t support a play just because it was written by a Canadian. I also find that our audience can relate to Canadian scripts better,” Eberle said.

A new Many Hats actor will tread the boards in this production.

Fairly new Penticton resident, Chuck Peeren plays the smarmy new boyfriend.

Although it’s his first time with Many Hats, Peeren is no stranger to the theatre.

“He’s a very strong actor and very funny in the role. He has a good sense of comedy and sends his character up a bit. His character is a bit on the pompous side. Chuck manages to give that inflated performance of the character,” he said.

Eberle has directed both the female leads Adele McNary and Jane Stead in a previous production called Getting Sara Married.

“They’re both wonderful. Very strong actors.”

Stead plays the soon-to-be ex-wife while McNary is the potential new love interest and realtor. Finishing out the cast is Joel, the impotent writer, played by Vance Potter.

“He’s very good. Very reliable and funny. He presents well as a sort of romantic lead,” he said.

The cast and crew started rehearsals Aug. 2. They take the stage on Sept. 7, with shows running until Sept. 30. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

There will be two gala opening nights. The first on Sept. 7 with the traditional wine (from Play Estate Winery) and cheese reception following the performance. Then on Friday, Sept. 8 there will be a reception after the performance featuring craft brews from The Cannery Brewing Company.

Tickets can be bought at The Nest and Nectar or reserved by phoning 250-493-7275. For more information visit www.manyhatstheatre.com.