It won't be much of stretch when Ross Friesen takes to Coquitlam's Evergreen Cultural Centre stage this weekend with his daughter, Carly June.
The pair will be playing the parent and progeny roles of Andy and Lucy in Stage 43's spring offering, Woman in Mind, that opens tomorrow. "It's been great," the Port Coquitlam resident said of the acting gig with his 22-year-old girl, "even down to the convenience of having to carpool."
A 2011 Capilano University graduate in musical theatre, Carly June - a Riverside secondary grad - already has a few credits under her belt. Last year, she was cast in the Royal City Music Theatre's production of Hello Dolly!
AndRoss, too, has done well on the thespian circuit, having performed in 13 Stage 43 shows as well as about two dozen plays for the Vagabond and Metro companies.
Woman in Mind director Dale Kelly said he's worked with husband and wife acting teams in the past but never a father and daughter duo. With the Friesens, "it's very easy. They push each other to do better."
Written by English playwright Alan Ayckbourn, Woman in Mind is a "comedy with a dark side," Kelly said.
As well, it is the Coquitlam theatre group's entry for this year's Theatre BC Fraser Valley Zone Festival, happening May 19 to 25 at the Surrey Little Theatre.
The troupe chose Woman in Mind for the fest "because it has a little bit of everything in it: It's comedic but has drama and heart, and those are usually the plays that work best," said Kelly, who has garnered regional and provincial awards for his community theatre directing.
Woman in Mind also showcases the talents of eight Stage 43 actors, among them Jean Kosar and Ryan Scramstad.
Stage 43's Woman in Mind runs at Evergreen (1205 Pinetree Way) from April 25 to 27 at 8 p.m., April 28 at 2 p.m. and May 1 to 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets at $18/$20 can be purchased at Evergreen at 604-927-6555 or online at www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca.
or www.stage43.org.
