Aston native Wood brings the laughs to the Walnut Street Theatre
L aughter fills the Walnut Street Theatre during every performance of its current production, the hit comedy “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn.
Once praised by the New York Times as a play which “voyages to the outer limits of hilarity,” it was a runaway success when it premiered in London in l982 before opening on Broadway one year later. It then enjoyed two revivals, and went on to regional theaters across the country and beyond.
Now it’s the Walnut’s turn to delight audiences with this comedy, which opened for previews March 13 and continues through April 29.
A play within a play, it portrays the behind-thescenes antics and missteps as a troupe of British actors stumble through a final dress rehearsal and then take the show on the road.
“I think it’s one of the funniest farces that’s ever been written,” said Delco native Greg Wood, who plays the role of the theater director.
He’s quite familiar with the play because he had a role in a New Jersey production 10 years ago. At the time, he played on the actors in the play-within-a play. Now, he plays theater director Lloyd Dallas.
“I love this role,” he said. “In my opinion, Lloyd has the best lines of the play.”
Even though he was delighted to accept the role, it did mean an extra challenge for the first two weeks of rehearsals. That’s because Wood also had a role in the Walnut’s most recent production, “The Humans,” an award-winning family drama. That play was still running when rehearsals began for “Noises Off.”
This trouper was undaunted by the challenge of taking part in rehearsals for one play during the day and then going onstage to perform in another play the same evening. This went on for two solid weeks.
“The roles are so different that there was never any confusion,” he said. “One is a classically American drama, and the other is a British farce.”
Still, he does admit that for those two weeks, “I was somewhat tired at the end of each evening.”
Directing the production is Frank Anzalone, who began his career here as a stage manager for 23 years, and since then has directed numerous productions.
Both Wood and Anzalon have longtime careers at the Walnut. Wood’s first Walnut role was in l989 and that’s when he first met Anzalone.
“I’ve known Frank for almost thirty years, ” said Wood. “His stage manager background is a great asset because his attention to detail is unparalleled, and that’s especially important in this play with all the running around, lots of props coming on and off the stage and so many openings and closings of doors. Frank is really good at all that.”
The play’s frenzied pace and madcap activity help create the hilarity. But it’s also quite a challenge for the cast. As is the two-level, two-sided set, with several staircases and many doorways.
Of the nine member cast, one is someone Wood knows especially well- his wife, Susan Riley Stevens.
Being together onstage is nothing new for this theater couple, who have been married for 16 years and have known each other even longer.
“We’ve been in plays together for about 20 years,” said Wood. “We know each other so well that it’s easy to work together onstageit seems the natural thing to do.
It also means the convenience of sharing thoughts about each performance afterwards.
“Driving home each night, we talk about the show we just did,” Wood said. “And then, at home, we’ll usually enjoy a glass of wine and talk even more.”
They’ll enjoy these routines again this summer when they’ll both have roles in “All”s Well That Ends Well” presented by the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.
“We wind up working together at least once or twice a season,” said Wood. “We’re very fortunate that way.”
Considering his total immersion in theater, it’s perhaps surprising that growing up in Aston, Wood never intended to pursue an acting career.
“I had no idea I wanted to be an actor,” he said. Instead, at Widener University, he majored in finance and economics.
“I sort of fell into acting,” he explained. It all happened because after graduation, he decided to take a course in acting at Hedgerow — but not to become an actor.
“I thought, ‘If I’m in business, I’ll have to give speeches’ but I had serious stage fright,” he said.
So he enrolled in an acting class to help overcome this. His instructor, Delores Tanner, one of the artistic directors at that time, saw his talent and when the class ended, she invited him to join the company.
He eagerly accepted. “By then I really fell in love with theater and realized this was what I wanted to do.”
He’s still in love with it, fully enjoying every performance of “Noises Off.”
“The Walnut is an 1,100 seat theater and it’s mostly sold out every night,” he said. “There’s nothing like hearing 1,100 people laughing at the same time. It’s a terrific feeling and a great gift.”
Then, too, as a dedicated actor, he takes special pleasure in a play that’s about t theater.
“This play is like a love token to the theater,” Wood said. “It’s a real tribute to what we do as actors to get a play up and running. With all the complexities and difficulties, we manage to put on the play every night.”