The title gives Le Chat Noir’s upcoming production away.
“The Play That Goes Wrong” is as it implies — wrapped up with a lot of comedy tied to anything and everything that a struggling theater company could encounter when its members put on a show.
In this case, however, Krys Bailey, Le Chat Noir’s executive director, has tweaked the script a little.
“They are having financial woes,” said Bailey of the original script. “But I changed it to coming out of COVID woes.”
As the fictional theater group tries to put on a play during financial, or in this case, COVID, woes, the members begin to cut corners to save money, but the results are a series of mishaps that will give audience members a belly laugh or two, according to Bailey.
Bailey said one of the cast members, Tom Colechin, had seen the show in New York, and once Bailey read the script, he knew it was a show he wanted to produce. As soon as the rights became available, he jumped at the chance to secure them.
Originally Bailey planned to start off the 2022-2023 season with it, but he said he felt May was the right time to put the show on stage. The last time a play was performed at Le Chat Noir was in February 2020.
“We did ‘Rules of Seconds’ in February 2020,” Bailey said.
By March 2020, the cancellations had begun.
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Bailey was cautious during COVID. Other groups announced dates only to postpone them, he said. He took time.
This show is out of the norm for the black box theater group. Le Chat Noir is known for its productions that push the envelope and deal with heavy subjects. But life during COVID has been heavy enough, he said.
“The Play That Goes Wrong” will be staged at 8 p.m. May 20-21 and May 26-28 at Le Chat Noir, 304 Eighth St.
Tickets are $32.40 each or $130 for a table of four and are available at lcnaugusta.com.
Le Chat Noir offers limited seating, and Bailey said tickets are going fast.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
