Why Romantic Fools?
Romantic Fools is not your normal Valley Players fare. Even the author, Rich Orloff, describes the play as a comic vaudeville. The characters are split 50/50 male and female and it is written for a much younger group of actors.
So why are we doing this play? Aside from the practical (simple sets, minimal lighting), this play does, indeed, speak directly to our mission.
Firstly, age: why is it assumed that only the young are romantic? That only the young might be searching for that special someone? That only the young struggle with dating issues when doing so? We all know that isn’t the case, so we see no reason why an older group of actors can’t play these scenes with an equal (if not greater) depth and truthfulness to reality – well, with as much depth and reality as a comic vaudeville has, anyway.
The gender issue: Milton Berle played a woman for laughs. Flip Wilson played a woman for laughs. Tyler Perry played a woman for laughs. And they certainly are not the only men who have done so. Isn’t it about time some women played men for laughs? ‘Nuff said.
The comic vaudeville: Sometimes, we just want to laugh. Period. The last two years have been, at the very least, stressful for us all. We are having a blast producing this show and we want to share that fun with everyone!