Front Page News
November 9, 2011
Behind The Scene At The Pittsfield Players’
Man Of Lamancha: Director John Charron
John Charron directs
The Pittsfield Players’ production of Man of LaMancha.
Man of LaMancha director John Charron is no stranger
to the story of Don Quixote; it was his father Roland Charron’s
favorite show and was first performed by the Pittsfield Players in
1976.
The show will be performed at the Scenic Theatre on
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 11, 12 and 13, and again the
following week on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19. Tickets,
which are $15 per person, are on sale now and can be reserved by
visiting the Players’ website
www.pittsfieldplayers.com and clicking on the TicketLeap button,
or by calling 435-8852.
Roland Charron, who founded the Pittsfield Players
in 1968 in order to "bring a little culture" to the community, was
renowned for his demanding direction in the theater, which brought
many wonderful shows to the Pittsfield community and gained him much
respect from his actors and crew. As John said, "You may not have
liked him, but you learned to respect him."
In 2003, the Players established a Roland Charron
Memorial award for excellence in the Pittsfield Players
organization. The award is given sparingly – only two Players have
received this award since its inception, Elsie Morse in 2003 and
Maye Hart in 2008. On the plaque in the Scenic Theater lobby is
Roland’s statement "You can’t get enjoyment out of mediocrity; it
only comes from doing superior work." This is the driving sentiment
behind director John Charron’s endeavor with Man of LaMancha.
In 1976 John worked the lighting booth for his
father’s production, along with Herb Emerson. John was a junior in
high school then and he said that the lighting process then and now
is "about as different as a horse drawn buggy is to a car." In 1976,
John and Herb operated the lights in a small room next to the
projection booth at the Scenic Theatre and peered through a 10’x10’
hole to see the stage. The Players owned no lights, but rented them
from a company in Massachusetts. Because Arthur Dame was still
running movies at the Scenic, the Players had no capability to build
a set, so instead Roland relied on curtains for a backdrop and the
aisles for entrances and exits. "It was a far cry from what we have
now," said John. "This Scott Aubertin set is so much more elaborate
and really sets the mood for the whole show. My father had the
philosophy that the set wasn’t important as long as the actors were
good. He demanded the best of the best, and that’s why he was such a
formidable personality."
John feels fortunate to have some of the original
cast members in this revival of Man of LaMancha and to have his
brother, Bob, working as master carpenter on the set and his sister,
Cathy, as costumer. Cathy’s daughter, Cindi Bell, and John’s son,
Riley, are also in the show. "This is a family effort’" said John,
"and I’m glad that the Charron family is still doing its part to
bring culture to the town of Pittsfield and the surrounding
community, just as my father did." John is quick to point out that
his directing style is totally opposite that of his father’s. "My
father’s approach was more dictatorial and I’m more laissez-faire.
It’s like we’re taking two different roads to get to the same final
quality product."
Don’t miss out on this spectacular production of Man
of LaMancha. Reserve your tickets now by calling 435-8852 or
visiting the Players’ website at
www.pittsfieldplayers.com
and click on the TicketLeap button.
|