RIVER CITY PLAYERS' MOVABLE FEAST

When the River City Players present "On Golden Pond" Feb. 12-15, the performance space will be the seventh they have used in the past five years.

The peripatetic community theater company will perform "On Golden Pond" in the ballroom of the new Mark Anthony Restaurant in the Plaza Galleria.

RCP has been homeless for at least five years, says Ann Swanson, president of the board of directors. Back then, the Concord Theatre was home but it developed roof problems. A performance had to be relocated to Cape Central High School with two weeks notice.

Then RCP performed at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, followed by the Drury Lodge, and mounted several dinner-theater productions at the River City Yacht Club.

The most recent production, "Bell, Book & Candle," was presented last October at the Kent Library Little Theatre.

"The biggest problem is not having a place where we can keep the flats and set materials on site where we are performing," Swanson said. Currently, those materials are stored in Donna and Joe Domian's barn until they have to be hauled to the performance space du jour.

Arranging rehearsal space is also difficult because restaurants usually have other uses for the room leading up to the dinner theater production. At different times, Centenary Methodist Church and Rhea Optical have provided rehearsal space, and so has the university.

The lack of a permanent location also makes it difficult to plan ahead. "You don't know how large a stage you might have access to," Swanson said.

The company can't provide their audience with a schedule of upcoming plays. "It would be nice to mail something in January saying the dates and shows for the entire season," Swanson said. "We haven't been able to do that. We simply don't know ahead."

"On Golden Pond" is the poignant story of the 44th summer Norman and Ethel Thayer spend at their vacation house, this one with their estranged grandson Billy.

Jeffrey Jackson, the lead in last year's University Theatre production of "The Music Man," will play Norman Thayer. This will be his first role for the River City Players. Elaine Carlson, a veteran of many past RCP productions, will play Norman's wife Ethel.

Southeast student Megwyn Sanders has the role of their rebellious daughter Chelsea. Another Southeast student, Steve Ruppel, will double as the play's director and as Bill, Chelsea's fiance.

The cast also includes 14-year-old Jackson resident David Koeller as the Thayers' grandson Billy, and Shannon Smith as Charlie the mailman.

This will be the directorial debut for Jackson native Ruppel. He passed up auditions for the University Theatre's upcoming production of Strindberg's "Miss Julie" in order to direct.

"It's invaluable information for somebody who wants to do theater for a living," he said.

"On Golden Pond" has special significance for Ruppel because his own grandfather recently passed away. "There are a lot of similarities between everybody's grandfather and this character," he said.

Ruppel, who previously appeared in the RCP production of "Dial M for Murder," said having no home poses both logistical problems for the company and difficulty for the actors, who often rehearse in a different place from where they perform.

Tuesday was only the second time they'd been able to rehearse in the ballroom at Mark Anthony's.

So far, his switch to directing "has run very smoothly," Ruppel said. "A lot of people who've done it before have helped out."

The food will co-star in this production, with chef Mark Anthony preparing a variety of Mediterranean appetizers, and for entrees La Poule Chausser (boneless chicken breast in white wine veal jus garnished with mushrooms, tomatoes, shallots, garlic and fresh tarragon) or stuffed pork loin with pear stuffing and spiced apple ginger chutney.

Also on the menu is rice pilaf, Gratin Doulphinoise (layered potatoes baked in seasoned cream and Gruyere cheese), orange glazed carrots, green beans with new potatoes and carmelized pearl onions, chocolate mousse and cheesecake.

The brunch includes Eggs Benedict, Gratin Doulphinoise, bacon, sausage, biscuits, freshly baked breaks, sausage mushroom gravy, chicken in Champagne cream sauce, orange glazed carrots, fresh fruit and assorted cheeses.

The dinner-theater performances will begin with a cash bar at 6 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the performance at 8 p.m. The Sunday, Feb. 15, show will begin at 2 p.m. following a 12:30 p.m. buffet brunch.

The reservation deadline is Tuesday. For reservations, phone the restaurant at 651-0078 after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.