Good Theater has reached a milestone in its illustrious career: its 100th production. To mark this momentous occasion, the theater is staging the world premiere of “Homer Bound,” from the creative mind of Karmo Sanders. Better known by many as Birdie from the Marden’s commercials, the Maine-based author, actor and comedian sure knows how to craft one heck of a wicked good time.
A date-crashing buck, a shotgun wedding, an aunt with loose morals and a star-crossed crush are just a few of the laugh-inducing delights in “Homer Bound.” The rollicking comedy is set on a small fishing island off the coast of Maine, and it’s chock full of Maine flavor and humor.
Photo by Jenny Campbell Casey Turner as Lila and Thomas Ian Campbell as Charlie.
Colorful personalities abound in the close-knit cast of characters. Steve Underwood is the title character, Homer, a Down East fisherman with a penchant for mismatched idioms and an amusing pathological aversion to marriage. Underwood delivers laugh after laugh with ease, nonplussed by his character’s quirky nature and animated speech.
Kathleen Kimball is wonderfully erratic as Lena, trading verbal blows with her onstage sister, Mary, played by Grace Bauer. The equally neurotic characters are pure fun.
The play revolves around Charlie and Lila, played by Thomas Ian Campbell and Casey Turner. It’s their wedding day and Lila, who is nine months pregnant, is about to pop. The parents-to-be have postponed the wedding to the last possible minute and are now gripped by wedding jitters.
Photo by Jenny Campbell Kathleen Kimball as Lena and Steve Underwood as Homer.
Campbell and Turner are expressive actors who know how to work the laughs with thoroughly entertaining facial expressions and madcap antics that keep the play lively and the laughs coming.
Jared Mongeau rounds out the cast as Charlie’s Moxie-loving older brother, Ronnie. He’s the icing on cake, as his character comically tries to keep Charlie’s wedding ring safe.
“Homer Bound” is filled with snappy dialogue and fun situations best left to the imagination until seen firsthand. It would do the play an injustice to reveal the comic twists and colorful turn of phrases interwoven throughout. Like any good joke, it’s all in the delivery.
Sanders draws from her experience as a standup comedian and colorful television personality to create “Homer Bound.” The play currently clocks in at a quick 105 minutes, including intermission. It’s a whirlwind of laughs, delivered by a well-chosen cast. Although likely to undergo tweaks as it further develops and grows, “Homer Bound” offers a strong world premiere, worthy of being the Good Theater’s 100th production.
April Boyle is a freelance writer from Casco. Contact her at:
aprilhboyle@yahoo.com
Twitter: @ahboyle
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