Kanata Theatre staging comedic coming-of-age story Brighton Beach Memoirs

(The old-time classic comedy, Brighton Beach Memoirs, brings familiar faces to the stage. The cast are top row: Lauren Solski, Matthew Walker, Anissa Stambouli and Brian Derby and bottom row: Evelyn Shaw, Jamie Cachero, and William Mann. Photos: provided Kanata Theatre)

Take a pubescent male protagonist, add a 1937 Great Depression-era, pre-war Brooklyn backdrop and a house filled with relatives, sprinkle in plenty of awkward teen moments, and you have the makings of a classic coming-of-age story sure to have you laughing through tears. Brighton Beach Memoirs hits the stage at Kanata Theatre’s Ron Maslin Playhouse from March 27 to April 6.

Brighton Beach Memoirs is the first play in Neil Simon’s semi-autobiographical comedic Eugene trilogy, which also includes Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound. The story follows almost 15-year-old Eugene Jerome as he grows up in 1937 Brooklyn. Eugene learns about girls, family, relationships, and the impending war. Eugene makes many witty observations about life and the need for family throughout the play as he interacts with his passionate, quirky Polish-Jewish relatives who provide delicious comic tension. Opening on Broadway in 1983, Brighton Beach Memoirs is the last non-musical play to run over 1,000 consecutive performances on Broadway.

Selected by the theatre’s Director of Plays, Brian McManus, and their committee, Brighton Beach Memoirs is “the type of play our members and season ticket holders enjoy. This is a show about family life, and it contains comic and poignant scenes between brothers, sisters, and parents with teens. It takes place in 1937, revealing the life your grandparents may have known. It’s a coming-of-age story that features eternal themes as seen through the lives of an extended family. There are a couple of outstanding scenes featuring brotherly love, which will make you laugh through tears,” says Director Brian McManus, an active member of the Kanata Theatre since 2016.

Avid theatregoers will recognize some familiar faces on the stage, as the production includes actors who have appeared in Kanata Theatre shows in the last few years, as well as actors who have worked with other theatre groups in the Ottawa area.

Fourteen-year-old William Mann takes the stage as narrator Eugene Jerome. A grade 9 student at Canterbury High School – where he is a member of the drama program – William participated in various children’s theatre programs and classes in his younger years, including two pre-pandemic holiday musicals at Kanata Theatre: Madagascar in 2018 and Charlie Brown in 2017. With theatre briefly shutting down due to the pandemic, William stepped away from the stage for a few years until acting in one of the short plays at Kanata Theatre for their 10-minute play festival last summer, at which point he was once again bit by the acting bug.

This will be William’s fourth time performing at Kanata Theatre, but Brighton Beach Memoirs is his first main stage play. William is excited to bring Eugene’s story to life: “I actually first read Brighton Beach Memoirs about a year and a half ago when I heard that Kanata Theatre was doing it, and I absolutely loved it. The play is very witty and humorous, but it’s also very sweet. I’m very happy to be working on this production. It’s so rare that there are roles in theatre for teenage boys – let alone main parts. This is my first time doing a role of this size, and it’s been challenging but so fun.”

The play promises lots of laughs, especially during William’s favourite scenes, which feature conversations between brothers. “My character Eugene has a big brother named Stanley. Eugene really looks up to his brother. Some of my favourite scenes in the entire play are the conversations between the brothers in the bedroom that they share. My personal favourite scene is when Stan shares a lot of ‘big brother wisdom’ with Eugene. Eugene is coming-of-age, so of course he goes to his big brother Stan to answer all his burning questions. This scene was so fun to rehearse, and it took a while for me to be able to keep a straight face during this scene. I’m sure it’ll give audiences a good laugh. I’m mainly excited for audiences to see and experience the hectic Jerome household. With seven people, there’s always something going on in the house.”

Playing the role of family patriarch Jack Jerome, actor Brian Derby was first introduced to the community at Kanata Theatre in 2022, joining both their 10-minute play festival and 10-minute playwriting circle under the mentorship of playwright Guy Newsham. “These positive experiences have prepared me for my first full-length play,” says Brian, who is particularly excited for theatregoers to experience the show’s dinner scene. “Although this dinner occurs in 1937, it highlights family discussions we can all relate to. Everyone will recognize the stresses brought forward during this scene. I think the audience will be able to see themselves in at least one of the characters. You will be laughing out loud – guaranteed.” William echoes this excitement to showcase the dinner scene, saying, “in typical Jerome family fashion, things get out of hand quickly.”

Cast members include:

• William Mann as Eugene
• Lauren Solski as Kate
• Anissa R. Stambouli as Blanche
• Jamie Cachero as Laurie
• Evelyn Shaw as Nora
• Matthew Walker as Stan
• Brian Derby as Jack

Brighton Beach Memoirs runs from March 27 to April 6 at the Ron Maslin Playhouse. The showtimes are 7:30 p.m., with one 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 31. Visit Kanata Theatre’s website to purchase tickets, or call the box office at 613-831-4435.