Chapter Two

Directed by Cindi Bates

A semi-autobiographical comedy/drama about second chances...

In Chapter Two, George Schneider, a recent widower, is encouraged by his brother Leo, to start dating again. After a series of bad matches, George becomes depressed, vowing to avoid the dating game for the foreseeable future.  Then Leo comes up with Jennie Malone, an actress and recent divorcee, who George ends up contacting accidentally in a hilarious series of telephone conversations.  The road to romantic bliss is a bumpy one for these not-so-young lovers who are both on the rebound and trying to resolve their independence and their neediness.  In a farcical subplot, Leo has a fling with Faye, Jennie’s neurotic (and married) best friend. 

Director’s Notes:  There are few playwrights and screenwriters as prolific and as successful as Neil Simon who is a multiple award winner of Emmys, Tonys and a Pulitzer.  Directing the wonderful Brighton Beach Memoirs heightened my awareness of his extraordinary ability to write both the subtlest and the most uproariously humorous dialogue coming out of the mouths of his otherwise quite ordinary characters.  Chapter Two is a four-hander filled with both heart-warming and poignant scenes and laugh-out-loud- love-and-angst-filled-humour that we can all relate to.  As with any good comedy, the right cast delivers the critical nuances of great comic timing to bring the audience an evening of delightful and satisfying entertainment.

Director’s Bio:  Cindi Bates started performing in community theatre twenty-five years ago with Ottawa’s Orpheus Musical Theatre, followed by productions with Tara Players, Ottawa Little Theatre, Lakeside Players, Barndoor Productions, PCC and Orion and, most recently, Studio Theatre (Rabbit Hole).  In the last few years, her interests have turned to writing, producing, and directing (The Dybbuk, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Last Night of Ballyhoo), including an amazing opportunity to co-direct the original opera, Open House, which had its world premiere at Perth’s Studio Theatre.  Chapter Two is Cindi’s first directing opportunity with Studio Theatre and a continuation of her “love affair” with Neil Simon’s work.