‘Time Stands Still’
Presented by: Olympic Theatre Arts
When: Feb. 9-25, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. 2:00 p.m. on Sundays
Where: Olympic Theatre Arts’ Caldwell Main Stage, 414 N. Sequim Ave.
Tickets: $16 adults, $12 students (with ID), available at the box office (414 N. Sequim Ave.) from 1-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, or online at http://olympictheatrearts.org/OTA/
A play filled with a range of emotions, “Time Stands Still,” written by Donald Marguiles, is making its way to Olympic Theatre Arts main stage from Feb. 9-25.
A New York loft with a backdrop of the Williamsburg skyline transports the audience directly into the setting of the play in modern-day Brooklyn, a setting director Josh Sutcliffe is familiar with after living there years ago.
“Josh has brought with him some nuances of the city and that’s been neat to take into account” Jennifer Horton, playing the role of photojournalist Sarah Goodwin, said.
“It just feels like you’re in New York.”
Nominated for two Tony Awards, “Time Stands Still” is a drama ready to take its audience on a roller coaster of emotions.
“It’s a very entertaining show,” Sutcliffe said.
“It has a lot of serious, big questions and certainly some very dramatic moments,” he said. “But the dialogue is funny, the characters are interesting, and I think people will actually enjoy this emotional roller coaster we take them on.”
Sutcliffe has become a regular on OTA’s stage as a seasoned actor and has appeared in shows such as, “The Explorer’s Club,” “Spoon River Anthology,” and “The Importance of Being Earnest.” He said he is excited to work with his fellow actors in this show and developing their complex characters.
“It’s basically all about the character development and that’s something I have a lot of experience with,” Sutcliffe said.
“I feel less like a director and more like a fellow actor who’s helping my other actors create these characters.”
The play revolves around four characters: Horton playing the abrasive photojournalist Sarah Goodwin; Edwin Joseph Anderson III cast as James Dodd, Sarah’s partner and fellow reporter; Ron Graham as Richard Ehrlich, a publisher and good friend of Sarah and James, and Emma Easton as Mandy Bloom, Richard’s young girlfriend from a much more domesticated scene than his two friends.
The play follows the evolving relationship between Sarah and James and fellow couple Richard and Mandy, as they explore the theme of morality within each character and how it applies to the world they live in.
“The message of this piece is about how to be a moral person,” Sutcliffe said. “This is a very thought provoking piece and it really appealed to me” he said.
“Real is the best word for the show,” Anderson said. “It focuses on people’s relationships. There might be a backdrop of war journalism, but ultimately it’s human relationships.”
“And the world in which they exist,” Horton added.
Sutcliffe said he is hoping the audience is able to walk away from the show pondering some of the questions this play may leave in their minds.
“It’s the kind of play that I hope lives on in people’s minds for a little bit and I want people to think about it,” he said.
The play runs from Feb. 9-25, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $16 for adults and $12 for students (with ID), available at the box office from 1-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, 414 N. Sequim Ave, or online at http://olympictheatrearts.org/OTA/.
