Arc Stages’ Latest Community Show a Fitting Production for the Times
News Article Article pages that do not meet specifications for other Trust Project Type of Work labels and also do not fit within the general news category.
The importance of yearning for a connection to others may have never been stronger than over the past two years. It’s just one of the reasons that make Arc Stages’ upcoming Community Stage production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” such an intriguing play, said its director, Stephanie Kovacs Cohen.
Over the next two weekends, Arc Stages, the Pleasantville-based performing arts theater, will be presenting its version of the 2015 Tony Award-winner for Best Play on Broadway. It’s the story of a 15-year-old autistic boy, Christopher Boone, who plays a detective in hopes of solving the murder of his neighbor’s dog.
His determination to solve the mystery takes Christopher out of his comfort zone and into a world that he is unaccustomed to.
“As he’s trying to figure out who killed the neighbor’s dog, he starts to go out on this other journey of wait, what else is going on here, what’s underneath it, and it’s all about finding his identity and where he belongs and how does he live as a kid on the spectrum in the world – and can he – and what does he do about his parents,” Cohen said.
Complicating his situation is that Christopher’s parents have separated. However, all of the different characters in the play must deal with some level of pain in their lives, she said.
Christopher is played by Sam Selesnick, a Pleasantville resident, as is Jennifer Tulchin, who plays his mother, Judy Boone.
Selesnick said there are challenges in making a connection with a character like Christopher, aside from the fact that he and the cast have to make use of an Estuary English accent. Selesnick, who has been acting since he was a small child, has never had to portray a character who deals with his emotions so differently than his own.
“It requires a lot of learning to play somebody so, I think, I don’t want to say different from most human beings, but the way we experience the world and Christopher’s way of experiencing the world is so unique and I think developing that into a character that is likeable and people can still relate to and sympathize with and care for has become a challenge,” Selesnick said.
Likewise, for Tulchin, playing the mother of a child on the spectrum who she hasn’t seen in two years. When he arrives in London to see him, Mrs. Boone hopes to reach out and give him a hug but Christopher is averse to personal touches.
In many ways the storyline is a bit of a parallel to what has occurred with COVID-19.
“The idea of having a second chance, of appreciating things more the second time around, is how it feels coming back together as a family,” Tulchin said.
Katy Cocovinis, the actor who plays Christopher’s mentor at school Siobhan, said the fact that not all the events in the show occur chronologically presents other challenges for the 12-member cast.
“It’s very much left up to the storytelling and I think they’re trying, making sure that’s interesting, is very important, and I think we’ve done a really good job, especially using the ensemble to tell the story,” Cocovinis said.
The somewhat ambitious undertaking of the production also forced Arc Stages to work around the show’s extensive visual effects that were seen in its debut in London in 2012 and later on Broadway.
Adam Cohen, Arc Stages’ artistic director, said that presents a challenge because theatergoers who saw “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” have often remarked about the tech and special effects.
“It was one of those experiments we are taking on when we decided to do this because we never planned to do that, and Stephanie definitely made it her own and the actors make it their own in a way,” he said. “So it’ll be interesting to see how it plays to an audience.”
The show’s five performances will be held at Arc Stages, located at 147 Wheeler Ave. in Pleasantville, on Apr. 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 8 p.m. There is one matinee this Sunday, Apr. 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $28 for adults and $22 for students and seniors.
For tickets and more information, call 914-747-6206 or visit www.arcstages.org.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
