REXBURG— Stage Door Repertory Theatre reopened its doors this year, their British farce ‘Noises Off” is playing on the following dates: June 18-20, 22, 25-27 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday matinees at 2 p.m.
Nick and Julie Charles run Stage Door Repertory Theatre in Rigby. They started the business in California where they ran it for 11 seasons before retiring. They moved to Idaho and after two years they decided to reopen the theatre.
“Noises Off,” a British farce written by Michael Frayn, was produced in 1982. Nick Charles said original reviewers of the play called it the funniest show ever written.
“That whole idea of a play within a play that is falling apart in front of the audience's eyes. It all started with ‘Noises Off,’” Charles said.
The three-act play offers a comedy that is built from one act to the next. Charles has directed “Noises Off” three times and still calls it one of the funniest productions.
“So, what looks like you're watching a show, the very first scene, you discover you are watching the rehearsal, the final dress rehearsal of a show that is not ready to open,” Charles said.
The second act flips the stage 180 degrees, and the audience watches the play from backstage. The third act follows the play weeks later into the tour.
“It is one laugh after another, after another, after another, where the audience gets to see how a show goes from rehearsal to performance to complete chaos,” Charles said.
The comedy is all based on fact as these are things that have gone wrong in a theatre production. The challenge of “Noises Off” is it forces the actors to learn how to do something incorrectly. In the actual stage directions of the script, it gives both what the actor is supposed to do and how to do it incorrectly.
All performances are at 7:30 p.m. On June 20 and 27 there will be two shows, one at 2 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m. The theatre is located at 3804 E. Indian Creek Loop Unit 6 in Rigby.
Auditions for their next two productions “Nunsense” and “Nunsense A-Men” will be held on June 23 and 24 at 6:30 p.m. Email auditions@stagedoorrep.org to schedule an appointment and bring a comedic song to audition with.
To learn more about the theatre or buy tickets go to stagedoorrep.org. Follow on Facebook to get updates.