First night
It’s never too late for love.
Written by Jack Neary
First Night tells the story of a couple that rekindles a relationship after more than two decades apart. It is a funny, bright, and warm comedy set in a 1980’s video store on New Year’s Eve. When Meredith shows up at Danny Doyle’s video shop, he thinks all his dreams have come true. So does she, except she is now Sister Meredith Louise.
“There is action in me. There is initiation in me. I am more than a follower and an obeyer, I can... begin things. Don’t you see... I followed the lord for 20 years, why can’t he follow me for a while?” Sister Meredith, First Night
2019 production
February 14-17, 2019
Full Production Revival
Co-produced by Punctuate4 Productions, The Larcom Theatre & Acting Out Productions
Directed by Jack Neary
Set Design by Kirk Trach
Lighting Design by John Budzyna
The Larcom Theater, Beverly, MA
First Night reunites actors Jocelyn Duford and John Manning who were last together as Mary Poppins and Bert under Myriam Cyr’s direction of Mary Poppins in honor of Valentines Day, we sought out couples that had been together 50 years or more to be honored during the Sunday, February 17 performance.
Manning is very good as the cynical and resigned Danny, who makes every effort to dodge Meredith’s advances. Likewise, Duford succeeds in presenting the determined nun, who seems to have concluded she can now longer stay “married to God.”
The play features some outright belly laughs, as Thursday’s audience was in stitches on numerous occasions.
—Theater Review: A Fabulous ‘First Night’ at the Larcom
CAST
Danny Flemming: John Manning
Meredith O’Connor: Jocelyn Duford
