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| Gary Weinstein (Robert) is looking for love in all the wrong places |
Anyone
who has ever seen Gary Weinstein perform on the Barn stage knows that he is a
real “character.” Whether he is playing a masochistic dental
patient in Little Shop of Horrors, the
deranged Renfield in Dracula, or the creepy
Doctor Einstein in Arsenic & Old Lace,
Gary’s roles are larger than life and he always steals the show. By contrast, in Boeing Boeing, Gary plays mild-mannered Robert Lambert, a Wisconsinite
looking for love while visiting his old school friend Bernard in Paris.
For
Gary, “the most challenging thing about the role is playing it 'not as a
character'. This is the first role I've
had where I play it pretty straight. My mantra is 'how would Gary play it.'” Even though the role may be straight, the romantically
charged show ventures far from the straight-and-narrow and the pace is as fast
as the new Boeing jet airliners. Gary
says, “I really wanted this part because I've never had the opportunity to be
in a fast-paced comedy like this, and I consider it a real challenge to keep up
the energy. I think people will enjoy the show because the theme of love is
ancient and here nothing gets lost in translation.”
I
asked Gary his favorite part of playing Robert.
His reply: “Being overly animated when things start to unravel. And of course, getting to kiss the pretty
girls!” Given the manic pace, was Gary
concerned about whether his fellow actors and directors could really pull off
what's demanded of them? Not a chance!
Gary exclaimed that, “In this show I am delighted with my fellow actor
and actresses and what they're able to bring to this performance. Their power
and energy is something that I've never had the privilege before of performing
next to, and the vision and the timing that our directors are demanding of us
will make the show a real joy to witness.”
Gary
is an avid golfer, having played in all 50 states (twice) and in 35 countries
in the past seven years with a goal of reaching 100 countries in 20 years. Since
losing his wife and two children into 2005, he has collaborated with two local
directors in creating documentaries entitled: Project Forgive and Transforming
Loss. Gary says, “Although I will always wrestle with the grief of losing
my family, I live a blessed life. My mission is to inspire people to create a
powerful future built on the foundation of forgiveness.”
Boeing Boeing has three final performances: October 8, 9 and 10. The show is proudly sponsored by Cadillac
Travel, including special prizes for 50/50 raffle winners and a chance to win a
$500 travel voucher on closing night. Tickets
are still available at www.farmingtonplayers.org or by calling the Farmington Players box
office at 248-553-2955. Find us on Facebook under
"Farmington Players Barn Theater".