Multiple, Varying Talents Combine for Community Theater

What do an administrative assistant, a high school teacher, a physical therapist and Alec Baldwin's back-of-the-head double have in common?

Aside from having vastly different day jobs, all are repeats in Hatboro's The Village Players community theater. And all – in one way or another – are part of the upcoming production of John Patrick's comedy, "The Curious Savage," which opens Jan.  7 and continues weekends through Jan. 22.

Everyone lends a hand – or multiple hands in some cases – to make magic onstage. During a recent rehearsal, stage manager Clarissa Thurman, of Warminster, searched high and low for a needle to aid in sewing costumes. While the show is on, Thurman can be seen wearing a headset and communicating with her crew – or maybe not. "If I do my job right, you don't know I exist," she said. "I'm kind of like the unseen force."

Ed Young, director/producer of "The Curious Savage," uses his construction background to help stretch the nonprofit theater's $500 to $1,500 per show budget as far as possible.

"I buy lighting fixtures and I refurbish them," Young said, adding that sets are "built, refurbished or trash picked."

Yet, he contends the shoestring budget does not show in the end result. "It's not Broadway, but it's pretty darn close," Young said.

"We really foster people who've never done it before," said Hatboro resident Fran Carroll, the theater's publicist, who also doubles in sometimes roles as the theater's actor, director and board of director. "We want to be very open."

That sentiment is echoed in "The Curious Savage" stage, which features a framed picture of former Village Player alum Dick Devine. "He may be gone, but he's not forgotten," said Young. Described as somewhat of a theater late-bloomer, Devine first walked onto the stage in 1995 for a role in "Barefoot" and continued with various character portrayals until his death several years ago.

"Really every show he was in he stole the show," Carroll said. "Onstage he was such a natural actor."

Carroll himself stumbled onto the stage in 1994 – on the heels of a love interest. Even after the relationship fizzled, Carroll found his place in the theater, which is housed in the former Tanner Dairy Barn on Jefferson Avenue. Tucked away on a tiny street lined with houses and directly across from Tanner Park, The Village Players building seems to come out of nowhere.

"I know people who live in Hatboro their whole lives and have no idea we exist," said Carroll.

Yet, would-be actors, stage hands and theater-goers have made their way to the 186-seat venue year after year, show after show for the last 63 years. Gary LaSasso of Yardley, a stand-in for Alec Baldwin on "30 Rock," made his stage debut at The Village Players in 2006.

"This is harder. You have to know your lines," LaSasso said. "It's more of a performance here."

LaSasso splits his time between his work as an online training web developer and acting gigs, including commercials. In perhaps his most famous – yet least likely to be recognized role – he fills in for Baldwin during shots of the back of the actor's head.

"Every time they think the back of his head is needed they actually call me," said LaSasso. "It's like training with award-winning actors."