The Cemetery Club Opens This Weekend

Cast of The Cemetery Club, Seated: Deb Canfield. Standing (l to r): Ken Parrish, Sandy Kirchinger, Martha Hayden. Not shown: Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

When The Cemetery Club opens at LowellArts on Friday night, there will be plenty of experience on the stage. The cast includes performers who have been in productions at some of the region’s best-known venues, including Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Kalamazoo Civic Theatre and Circle Theatre, among many others.

“The cast is phenomenal,” says director Sue Bradford.

As a member of LowellArts for more than 40 years, Bradford is a seasoned director with extensive experience, and she says there is something special about Lowell productions. “I’ve done work in Grand Rapids theaters, but out here, I think this really defines community theater,” she notes.

To see community theater at its finest, residents can attend one of six performances of The Cemetery Club which will take place over two weekends, starting Friday, April 29, 2022. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door, with discounts offered for LowellArts members.

A Visit to The Cemetery

The Cemetery Club, written by Ivan Menchell, is the story of three widows who meet each month to go to the cemetery where their husbands are buried. “One lives for that, one wants to get away from that, [and] one picks up a guy,” Bradford says.

One appeal of the play is that it targets a demographic that can be easily overlooked.

“It’s relatable to me because I’m a mature woman, and I don’t see many plays done for women of my age and about women of my age,” Bradford says.

Other in the cast echo that sentiment. “It’s fantastic to find such a beautiful script featuring women of a certain age,” says Sandy Kirchinger who plays Lucille. She’s joined on stage by Martha Hayden, Deb Canfield, Ken Parrish and Joanne Bailey-Boorsma.

Of course, you don’t have to be a mature woman to appreciate The Cemetery Club. “I think everyone can identity on some level with this show,” Hayden says. Its themes of grief and friendship transcend age.

While the play focuses on a serious topic, cast members say it is really quite funny. There is some mild language and adult situations, though, so it might be best to leave the kids at home for this one.

Where to See The Cemetery Club

As with other recent performances, The Cemetery Club will be performed in the LowellArts Gallery at 223 W. Main Street.

“It’s a very intimate theatre,” Parrish says, and only a limited number of tickets are available for each performance.

Those performances will take place on the following dates and times:

  • Friday, April 29 at 7:00pm
  • Saturday, April 30 at 7:00pm
  • Sunday, May 1 at 2:00pm
  • Friday, May 6 at 7:00pm
  • Saturday, May 7 at 7:00pm
  • Sunday, May 8 at 2:00pm

“I think we are so fortunate to have an arts council in Lowell,” Canfield says. She notes that not many communities the size of Lowell are able to offer the types of performances and arts programming that are available to local residents here.

Parrish sums up the sentiment of the entire cast, saying: “We’re working hard to put on a great show, and we hope people will come and enjoy it.”

Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance online. More information is available on the LowellArts website.

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