Myra Witzer has only one thing on her mind – marriage. But when she finally gets to walk down the aisle, will it be everything she dreamed of?
![Kevin Kruchkywich as Leonard Shank and Daniela Vlaskalic as Myra Witzer find out marriage life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be in Drayton’s production of Last Chance Romance. [Submitted]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/post_arts_drayton.jpg)
Sam Bobrick’s Last Chance Romance tells the story of one woman whose only goal is to lock down a man before she turns 40. It turns out though, that the thrill of the chase was much more alluring than the reality of being married.
“She is determined to get married and she has set her sights on Leonard Shank. So she pursues him and she does everything in her power to try to get this man,” says Daniela Vlaskalic, who plays Myra.
The Drayton Entertainment production has been running at the Huron County Playhouse in Grand Bend since July 2. It finishes there on July 18 before opening at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse on July 22.
Kevin Kruchkywich plays Leonard Shank, Myra’s love interest. He’s also quite lonely and looking for love. He initiates their first date, acquiring her number from a neighbour’s friend.
Susan Henley plays Gloria Fossberg, as well as a number of other small characters in the play. Paul Brown portrays Uncle Fred.
“It’s in the romantic comedy genre, and so everything is pushed to extremes,” Vlaskalic said. “There are some truths in there. So that’s I think what makes it so funny is that even Myra does go to these crazy extremes to get her guy. And of course like a lot of things in life, be careful what you wish for because you never know what you’ve got until you’ve got it. That’s a lot of the fun within the play as well.”
After Myra and Leonard’s first date, she immediately calls him to set up another date before he’s even had a chance to get home. She manages to convince him that she needs to go over to his place that night. Little does he know, she’s bringing Uncle Fred with her, who’s a lawyer. She’s already on the fast track to marriage.
“I really liked how Sam Bobrick takes something that we’re so obsessed with in society today, marriage, the absolute pressure to get married before 40. It’s so out there in social media, reality TV, Bridezillas, Say Yes to the Dress. There’s so much of that and he’s really done a really fun job of taking that and pushing it to an extreme, and then going is this really what people want or is it just what society has been telling them that they need to do, that they have to do?” Vlaskalic said.
She says it’s great for Myra because after all is said and done she examines her life and herself and questions if this is really what she wanted, or is it just what her mother wanted, or what she thinks she should want.
The challenge for this type of comedy, is keeping it in pace, she says. A lot of action happens quickly, so it’s important to keep the characters human and relatable.
“There’s elements of farce in there as well, so Sam Bobrick really put an interesting challenge for us in terms of keeping it funny, keeping it moving, but also keeping it real,” Vlaskalic said.
With the first run of the show just finishing up this weekend, Vlaskalic says they’re having a great time. Everyone from grandparents, to newlyweds to couples who’ve just started dating have been checking out the show. Anyone who’s been in a relationship will find some laughs, she adds.
“I hope that they come out and have a good laugh and forget their troubles,” Vlaskalic said. “But also I hope that they can walk away and take something away about what it is that they want in relationships, what they’re looking for. Are they happy with what they have? And examine that a little bit.”
Last Chance Romance runs July 22-August 9. Tickets can be purchased in person at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, online at www.stjacobscountryplayhouse.com or by calling the box office at (519) 747-7788 or toll free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866). Tickets are $42 for adults and $25 for youth under 20 years of age.
