Erika Kuehl | Staff Writer
Although the Waco Civic Theatre is currently in “shadow season,” that does not mean it’s without incredible productions. “Ordinary Days,” directed by Jamie Coblentz, is set to be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
According to the Waco Civic Theatre website, “‘Ordinary Days’ tells the story of four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, happiness, love and cabs … With equal doses of humor and poignancy, it celebrates how 8.3 million individual stories combine in unexpected ways to make New York City such a unique and extraordinary home.”
Coblentz, who said she has been waiting to direct the show for 10 years, described it as four people in New York City on an ordinary day that suddenly turns extraordinary.
“The show helps remind people what it really means to be alive and to be human and to be around other humans, which is kind of fabulous,” Coblentz said.
Because it’s “shadow season” — the secondary season of productions — funding and practice space are limited. However, Coblentz said these challenges never stopped production.
“We rehearsed in the attic of the theater,” Coblentz said. “We rehearsed in a tiny sound booth while other rehearsals were going on on stage. And actually, our latest rehearsal space was in an empty house that was about to be sold.”
Coblentz said the show became a passion project for many of the people involved. Because it is a small production, she said the best part is that the whole crew has the same level of care.
“You will laugh,” Coblentz said. “You will cry. It’s such a good show. I’m so excited.”
Assistant director Jeannette Faye said the best part of her job has been working with the cast.
“It’s been amazing,” Faye said. “I am so grateful to be able to work with such an incredibly hardworking, resilient and very talented cast.”
Faye said the show will speak for itself, as the audience will be able to connect with the characters’ stories.
“I think everyone has certain characters in their lives like these guys, whether it’s someone who’s, you know, working on a relationship or a new friend,” Faye said. “And I think that it’s going to be very apparent, and I don’t think anything needs to be kind of fed, because everyone’s going to identify with these characters because they’re people just like us.”
