'The Viewing Room' opens in October

By Germaine Hupe Winters Theatre Compnay The Winters Theatre Company will open its fall season on Friday October 4th with “The Viewing Room,” a comedy-drama by Sacramento playwright Mark Smith. The story concerns the relationships between a recently deceased man and his wife and children. ​Set in a mortuary viewing room, the plot begins as family members come, alone and in small groups, to pay their final respects to their father. They express thoughts they wish they had said to their living father. Comic elements occur, to the families’ astonishment, when the dearly departed sits up in his coffin and talks back, telling his side of family events. ​After dealing with initial shock and disbelief, the widow and her sons and daughters reveal surprising elements of family dynamics in their conversations with each other and with the deceased. There are many laughs as their father vents his feelings.  His body may be dead, but his biting wit is alive and well. There are pregnant moments also as the audience learns of the unpleasant situations, misunderstandings and hurt feelings common to all families, elements which make the play a true comedy-drama. ​“The Viewing Room” is a new play. In fact, the local production is only the second time the play has been produced, and the Winters Theatre Company is pleased to introduce it to audiences in Winters and nearby communities.  The play will have six performances beginning on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m., and continuing Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.  WTC will hold a special Thursday evening, Oct. 10 performance at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Friday evening, Oct. 11 performance at 7:30 p.m. The play closes on Sunday, Oct. 13 with a 2 p.m. matinee. All performances are held at the Winters Community Center, 201 Railroad Ave. Tickets can be purchased on the Winters Theatre Company website at winterstheatre.org. Questions can be directed to winterstheatre@gmail.com or 530-795-4014.  ]]>