Good People (Comedy)

Synopsis

The action takes place in Lindsay-Abaire’s home town of south Boston. A rough, middle and lower middle class neighborhood full of “good people”. The lead character, Margaret—MARGIE—a once-pretty, middle-aged train wreck, has just been fired from her job at the Dollar Store by her boss, Stevie. She is fretting about how she is going to pay the rent for the apartment she shares with her developmentally disabled daughter. Given the downward economy, jobs are scarce, especially for a high school dropout who hasn’t the stamina anymore for factory work. While commiserating with both her landlady Dottie, who is hilarious as the salty queen of negativity, and her foul-mouthed, free-speaking friend Jeanie, Margie gets the idea to hit up an old high school boyfriend, Mike, for a job. Mike is a Southie who escaped via medical school and he now lives in an affluent suburb— Chestnut Hill. Margie confronts him in his office but that is just a prelude to the big showdown at his home, where Margie appears unexpectedly and is graciously greeted by Kate, his AfricanAmerican wife. Kate is a wonderful, genuine flesh-and-blood woman who sympathizes with Margie. As Mike, Kate, and Margie interact they each learn more than they may have bargained for. Somewhere between Golden Girls and Angie Tribeca, with a bit of Grace & Frankie thrown in for good measure. It’s wild, rough and genuinely funny. It will be a great night in the theatre! “Good People, in my opinion” said director, Tony Labriola, “is the show Lindsay-Abaire always wanted to write and Rabbit Hole gave him the opportunity. It’s a story about his old neighborhood in Boston, where real people, working people, good people are doing their best to survive and smile with the bingo cards dealt to them. This show could as easily be a commentary on Chicago Heights as South Boston.” Labriola notes, “This show is what a friend of mine calls a ‘parking lot’ play…meaning…when you leave the theatre with your friends, we’ll find you sitting in the car, unable to leave the parking lot without talking about the play you just saw.” So, what is it that determines our fate? Is it a strong character or a few lucky breaks? As we, in Illinois struggle through our own financial insecurity and economic desperation, this play speaks to us. It speaks with lots of laughter and a few tears. It rings with the honest voices and wonderful personalities of GOOD PEOPLE!

Cast List

Margaret - Debbie Roberts

Jean - Betsey Manzoni

Mike - Fred Harvey

Stevie - Geoffrey Purvis

Dotty - Suzy Dritz

Kate - Violet Van Adams