by Terry Rogers
For the next two weekends, Second Street Players plans to present “A Nice Family Christmas,” written by Phil Olson, at the Riverfront Theatre on South Washington Street in Milford. The play will be performed with COVID-19 protocols in place.
“We have 100 seats marked off and not in use so appropriate spacing is respected,” Tracy Dissinger said. “We may be able to seat up to 40 but are making sure. Walk-ins are welcome. All useable seats are being treated with disinfectant before and after each performance. All hard surfaces are disinfected routinely. A new HVAC system was installed with improved filtration throughout the building. All visitors and volunteers must wear masks at all times. All refreshments are single serve.”
The play focuses on a young newspaper reporter, Michael, on the brink of being fired who has been given a last chance to write a story about a typical family Christmas. He goes home to his recently widowed mother, an eccentric grandmother, a crazy uncle and his battling sister and brother. Throughout the play, the audience will learn family secrets, problems and dysfunctions as the magic of Christmas works to bring the family back together.
“This show was easy to adapt to our present pandemic situation,” Steven Haber, who is co-directing the play with Melissa Brenner, said. “Without changing our script, the actors can perform in masks and there will be hand sanitizer on the stage. The cast is doing a wonderful job of balancing their theatrical skills while remaining safe.”
Dissinger pointed out “A Nice Family Christmas” has adult themes that may not be suitable for all members of the family. All tickets are general admission and ushers will seat each party to maintain social distancing.
The show will be livestreamed on December 6 at 7 PM for those who prefer to watch it remotely. Tickets for the live events are $20 per ticket and $15 for live streaming. Live performances are planned on December 4 and 5 at 7 PM as well as on December 11 and 12 at 7 PM. A $5 discount is offered for Second Street Player members, whether they are new or renewing members. The discount is also available for seniors, students and military members. Discounts are only available for the live performance.
Tickets are available online and anyone with questions can call 302-228-9613 or email info@secondstreetplayers.com.
