Solvang Festival Theatre hosts the musical “Company” June 14 through
July 15 for an examination of what it is to love and how to do it well through
the eyes of a 35-year-old bachelor Robert.
Bobby, as he is known in
the play, explores his personal relationships and commitment challenges. Along
the way he is helped by the experience of his friends and their various
relationships that range from long-term marriage to soon-to-be married.
“This I think is a good
articulation of an experience that everyone goes through, not only in finding
their own place, but finding their way in a relationship,” said Kate Petterle, an actress playing one of Bobby’s love interests.
Set in
“These songs, instead of being storytelling songs, they’re telling the
stories going on within the characters,” director Valerie Rachelle said. “It
takes us away from focusing on the chronological order of things and lets us
really focus on what’s going on internally.”
As
Bobby’s journey unfolds, he is revealed to be a good-intentioned man looking
for that universal connection to love and a relationship to let it blossom
within. “He’s a good guy. He’s
definitely a good man, not a womanizer at all,” said Colum
Parke Morgan who plays Bobby. “He definitely does love all of his friends. He’s looking for the perfect person, the
perfect mate. Aren’t we all though?”
Bobby’s trials find him
examining love at various stages, both through his friends and his own
epiphanies that reveal not only his personal growth, but offer insight into
universal themes of love.
“It’s interesting because
you’re getting to see so many sides of so many relationships at different
points in the relationships,” Petterle said. “There’s
something in each one of those relationships where you say, ‘God I’ve been
there. I know what he’s going through.’”
The Tony Award-winning
musical not only explores Bobby’s personal relationships, but it also serves as
social commentary on the evolution of women’s position in marriage.
“I think what was happening in the ’70s, especially for women, was that
marriage was starting to be seen in a very different way,” Rachelle said.
“Women were starting to make decisions about what marriage meant for them.”
Bringing
the play to life in the 21st century has given Rachelle the
opportunity to breathe the life of a new generation into an old play without
changing the content at all.
“The
wonderful thing about live theater is that the meaning of the text can be
interpreted in many different ways,” she said. “You’re giving the same message,
but everyone’s going to do it differently because we’re living breathing human
beings.”
The
new life for Sondheim and George Furth’s classic
script can be seen at a cost of $19.50-$27.50 for adults and $15-$18.75
depending on seating location. Tickets are available by calling 805-922-8313,
Wednesday through Sunday from