LIVE THEATER – In Deep River, CT – by Henry Haburey, Jr.

When was the last time you went a saw a play? Last week? Last month? Last year? Never? Well here is a little heads up. In Deep River, CT at the Deep River Town Hall there is a theater. Maybe you knew, maybe you didn’t, but nonetheless you can now consider yourself in the know! Deep River is fortunate enough to have established a nice working relationship with Phoenix Theater Company. Phoenix is a “gypsy” theater group based in East Hartford, CT. They are a self-funded bunch of theater “rats” that have and exhibit a passion for their craft like no others. Under the guidance of Connecticut’s own Christopher Ryan, they build their shows in their studio and have them ready to travel to any venue in CT and beyond.

Mr. Ryan’s years of experience in theater both on and off stage has lead him to be one of Connecticut’s more accomplished show directors. His tireless pursuit of his craft, one may even say his obsession, is evident in the quality of each of his undertakings.

With today’s electronic bombardment of 300 television channels, movies on demand, video games, YouTube, even movies on your cell phone one may not be aware that the origin of what you see today is live theater! Back in the day, the day of the Romans, they craved entertainment; live theater was what satisfied their hunger.

If you have a hunger to be entertained then I would suggest, you guessed it, LIVE THEATER! Now… there are lots of commercial theaters out there that put on their cookie-cutter productions; from one theater to the next it is a safe bet the same shows can and usually will be seen year after year. Hey there is nothing wrong with that, but that is commercial theater, it’s what they do! Phoenix is not beyond that, but they do their best to be a little more inventive and original in their choices of productions.

This leads me to Phoenix Theater’s current undertaking “Parallel Lives”… based on the Kathy and Mo Show. This comedic marvel was written by Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffeny. The Kathy and Mo Show was seen on HBO and was the outlet for their comedic genius. This play is a hilarious view of women’s lives through the eyes of women. The series of vignettes that make up the play are some times serious and on occasion heart wrenching, guaranteed to bring you to hysteria! Come be entertained like a Roman! Laugh and cry with them during their production of “Parallel Lives” at the Deep River Town Hall Theater. You’ll be glad you did!!!

The show can be seen weekends in March and April, they even have a Sunday matinee in March. You can visit their website phoenixtheater.us for more information or keep your eyes open for show posters and their ads in your local newspapers. If need be or the mood strikes you, you can call Phoenix at 860-291-2988.

Phoenix Theater is undertaking the challenging task of bring the cult-fave "Parallel Lives" to life, live on stage in Deep River CT. The play is based on ‘The Kathy and Mo Show’ and is a light hearted take on women’s views of society, the battle of the sexes and gives the ladies a voice in situations where other wise they might not be heard.

The vignettes or skits cover a nice cross section of life ranging from heart wrenching to hilarious. From the opening scene where two ‘Supreme Beings’ lay out the roles that men and women will have in life, to "Hank and Karen-Sue", two bar flies revealing their shared passion for each other over a white wine-spritzer and a beer, each scene in the play is something both the boys and girls in the audience can relate to! The five local actresses that pull off this comedic marvel, show their diverse talents in character portrayal with every moment on stage.

Previously billed as a ‘chick’ play and perfect for ‘ladies night out’ it is becoming more popular for a great date night! Ladies if you want girls night out, with or without your man, this is highly recommended as a don’t miss!