In the post-COVID world there are many organizations that come back to life as Maryland and most of the rest of the country, slowly and carefully emerge from this catastrophic pandemic. And perhaps the most welcome of those are the Mid-Shore’s remarkable collection of community theater groups in Chestertown, Church Hill, Cambridge and Oxford. All of whom had to scrape almost two years of indoor performances as local and state shut-down orders were put into place.
The granddaddy of these volunteer-run theater companies, which first appeared on the Oxford Community Center stage in 1981, is the beloved Tred Avon Players. Now going on 40 years old, the TAP has somehow attracted some of the best talent this side of New York City to take community theatre productions to an entirely new level of professionalism.
And that tradition continues as TAP, under the direction of John Perkinson, presents F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic The Great Gatsby starting on October 28. Using playwright Simon Levy’s highly-praised adaptation, this gripping drama is set in and around New York City during the Roaring Twenties and tells the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young woman whom he loved in his youth.
Considered to be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s best work, The Great Gatsby examines America at the peak of the Jazz Age, exploring the ultimate impracticality of the American Dream.approved by the Fitzgerald Estate. The Great Gatsby is produced by John Norton and the cast cast includes Greg Allis as Nick Carraway, Iz Clemens as Daisy Buchanan, Weston Anderson as Tom Buchanan, Alex Greenlee as Jay Gatsby, and Cavin Alexandra Moore as Jordan Baker. Also appearing are Jaclyn Royer, Bob O’Boyle, Herb Ziegler, Lindley Bounds, Matt Rovine, Francesca Rendell, Mara Abrams, Barrie Abrams, and Marianne Petschke.
The Spy sat down with director John Perkinson for a short chat about this remarkable story and how this American classic is the perfect production for TAP’s long awaited return to the stage.
This video is approximately one minute in length. For more information about the Tred Avon Players and purchase tickets please go here
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