The play that I chose to critique for my out of class performance is "On Golden
Pond" by Ernest Thompson. This particular version of the play was directed by Michael
Oberfield. The Company that acted in this play was not specified, but the actors were
mostly community veteran actors and acting students from the local Academy of Arts.
The set design was done by Russel A. Thompson and the costume design by Jane
Being that I was not too fond of this play, I will try to be as fair as possible with
my critique. I was first told this would be a comic/drama play and soon
found out that it was more of a drama, with a bit of comedy on the side. The part of
Norman, the main character, was played by Ron Bupp. Norman is an elderly old man
who comes to Golden Pond with his wife for the summertime. His wife Ethel is played by Jennie
Hollander and their daughter Chelsea is played by Beth Elege. The family has come to
Golden Pond during the summer for years, but Chelsea is getting married to Bill Ray,
played by John Vessels, Jr., and won't be able to stay with them the entire time there at
the pond. The first Act starts very comical yet a little on the slow side. Norman and Ethel
have just arrived at the house, and are tidying up when their old friend and mailman
Charlie Martin, played by Michael Oberfield (director), swings by to reminisce about the
many times they have visited the house on the pond. A lot of thinking about the past goes
on in this play... a lot. When Chelsea does finally arrive with her fiance and his son, they
communicate well and get along better than first thought. Norman and Bill's son,
ironically named Bill, get along great and soon become fishing buddies. Bill Jr. is played
by Nicholas J. Pellito, a student at Cypress Lake Center for the Arts. As the play
progresses, Chelsea and Ethel slowly strengthen the bond between the two of them, and
try to make sense of the ongoing argument...