![Pam Roman • Photo submitted]( "“Curious” cast meets curious script. Front from left, Jon Jordan, Ben Stephens, BJ Foster and Abigail Jacobs. Middle, Jessica Gentry, Susan Morgan and Virginia Mattox. Back, Lamar Barber, on cube holding Wellington is Jody Hensley, far right is David Layfield.")
“Curious” cast meets curious script. Front from left, Jon Jordan, Ben Stephens, BJ Foster and Abigail Jacobs. Middle, Jessica Gentry, Susan Morgan and Virginia Mattox. Back, Lamar Barber, on cube holding Wellington is Jody Hensley, far right is David Layfield.
“Freeze,” “action,” “do it again” and “yes” are the most common words heard onstage at the Peacock in Hayesville these evenings, as the cast buckles down to get “The Curious Incident” ready for an audience. The diverse cast is made up of absolute “newbies” to the stage, some who are new to the Peacock this season — as well as seasoned performers.
Abigail Jacobs, a student at Tri-County, has never acted before. Jody Hensley, a junior drama student at Union County High School is brand new to the Peacock and finds working with older, more experienced actors a lot of fun.
Lamar Barber, Jessica Gentry and Jon Jordan are new to the Peacock this season.
Veterans Susan Morgan, BJ Foster and Ben Stephens have done a number of shows while Virginia Mattox and David Layfield speak from the perspective of dozens of shows.
Every one of them agrees that this state-of-the-art play — with its multiple emotional, auditory and visual levels reminiscent of a dance — is unlike anything they’ve ever done. Foster sums it up: “Christopher is a math genius and autistic with a wide variety in the type and severity of his symptoms. This play brings to light how he sees the world and how society sees him — it offers a new perspective to our audience.”
Six of these cast members play 24 roles among them — each one needing to be distinct.
In addition, they play the part of shoppers, pedestrians in train stations and move wooden cubes around the stage to become furniture — and even become statues, doors and windows themselves — for the most part, things they’ve never been asked to do before and they are onstage the entire show.
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” runs Friday through Sunday, Oct. 11-13; 18-20 at the Peacock, 301 Church Street, Hayesville. Friday and Saturday performances are 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Seating is reserved and tickets are on sale now: $20 for adults, $9 for students, with group discounts available.
To purchase tickets, visit the office weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., call 389-2787, visit the website at: www.thepeacocknc.org or stop by Tiger’s Mercantile on the Square.