PEACH WEEKENDER

Oregon theater troupe to present ‘M*A*S*H’

‘M*A*S*H’ will be performed Feb. 14-15 and Feb. 21-22 at 8 p.m., and Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. in Fassett Auditorium, 3025 Starr Ave. in Oregon.

Oregon Community Theatre plans to brighten this dreary winter with its production of a Toledo favorite, M*A*S*H, beginning Feb. 14.

The storyline is probably familiar to those who remember the TV series. The Oregon theater group's show centers on the exploits of two surgeons in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea during the Korean War. The comedy-drama is based on several sources: 1968's semi-autobiographic book by Robert Hooker that was adapted for the stage by Tim Kelly; the 1970 film, and the TV series, which debuted in 1972. Most of the characters audiences remember will be on stage, including surgeons Hawkeye and Duke and Radar O'Reilly, although this play does not include the Klinger character.

The plot centers on the two surgeons' campaign to get a young Korean to the United States and enrolled in a good school. The thread of this effort links the show's comic adventures, including an encounter with the baby-talking Bonwit sisters, the worst tap dancing act ever to appear in a USO show.

Other favorite characters include Hot Lips Houlihan, Frank Burns, and Colonel Blake. The biggest challenge of doing this play is "trying to show the fast pace of a busy 1950s South Korean M*A*S*H camp with a large number of characters coming in and out of scenes throughout the entire show," director Jeff Smith said in press materials, noting the cast of 30.

“M*A*S*H” will be performed Feb. 14-15 and Feb. 21-22 at 8 p.m., and Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. in Fassett Auditorium, 3025 Starr Ave. in Oregon. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 for seniors and students, from 419-691-1398. Information: oregoncommunitytheatre.org.

‘Reckless’

The Toledo School for the Arts will bring the play Reckless to the Toledo Repertoire Theatre's 10th Street Stage tonight through Sunday. 

Described as a "dramedy," Reckless is set on a Christmas Eve when Rachel's husband tells her he has hired a hit man to kill her. She runs, and escapades involving several psychiatrists and an ill-fated reunion with her husband ensue.

This TSA production has two casts. "We have an exceptionally high number of talented students, and after doing a very small cast show last year we really wanted to expand the number of opportunities this year," Juliette Quinlan, co-director and teacher, said. "After callbacks it was clear that understudies work just as hard and [are] as deserving of the performance time. It was very easy to cast this show twice." Cast A will perform Thursday and Saturday, Cast B on Friday and Sunday.

The show will deal with frequent set changes by using projections onto an all-white set, with the assistance of co-director Rob Koenig, a TSA board member, and Jim Hill, a University of Toledo emeritus professor of theater. The cast of Reckless includes a paraplegic, deaf character and some use of sign language. To ensure accuracy and sensitivity, TSA staff had the assistance of Kelley Wyse, who teaches sign language at Bowling Green State University, and Allison Wesson of the Ability Center.

“Reckless” will be performed today, Friday, and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Toledo Rep, 16 10th St. Tickets are $14 general admission, $8 for students and seniors, by calling the box office at 419-246-8732, ext. 226.

Send theater items at least two weeks in advance to Sue Brickey at sbrickley@theblade.com