Many people list the film as their all-time favourite, and now “The Shawshank Redemption” is on a stage in Langley this month.
Two Surrey-based actors, Dann Wilhelm and Murray Schindel, are featured in Theatre in the Country’s production of the prison tale, based on Stephen King’s novella.
The powerful script is staged from Oct. 11 to 28 at the dinner-theatre venue, 5708 Glover Rd.
The 14-man cast features Wilhelm as main protagonist Andy Dufresne, convicted of murder and sentenced to life in the notorious Shawshank prison. In the 1994 movie Andy is played by Tim Robbins, opposite Morgan Freeman as Ellis “Red” Redding, a character played by Kuup Peters in Langley.
Director Reg Parks says audiences will be transported to the gritty world of Shawshank State Penitentiary for a memorable story that explores the resilience of the human spirit and enduring quest for freedom.
“Everyone who loves the movie will love this performance,” Parks promises. “The thing people remember about the film is the hope personified at the end, but the journey to earn that hope is hard and sometimes devastating to watch. It’s a powerful experience and the rawest theatre production we have ever mounted at Theatre In The Country.”
The production comes with “significant trigger warnings” including adult language, sexualized violence, brutality, bullying and suicide.
An actor and musician who often performs around Surrey and White Rock, Wilhelm is in his first Theatre in the Country production, as is Schindel, who plays Cook.
They’re joined on stage by Andrew Wood (as warden Stammas), Henry Bartak (Hadley), Joel Streat (Bogs), Simon Challenger (Brooksie), Jaggy Williams (Entwistle), Gary Wolfowicz (Rico), Brendan Boyd (Tommy), Pat McDermott (Dawkins), Kimball Finnigan (Rooster), Luke Ablett (Pinky) and Jason Boe (Con).
Written for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, “The Shawshank Redemption” plays Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Oct. 21. Both dinner and show-only tickets can be purchased on theatreinthecountry.com/shawshank, or call 604-259-9737. The dinner menu offers roast beef, chicken and more, buffet-style; vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free meals can be ordered online or by phone when booking tickets.
Up next at Theatre in the Country is a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol,” opening Nov. 29.
The company’s 2024 season features “The Matchmaker” (opening Feb. 14), “Amadeus” (April 10), “Anastasia: The Musical” (June 5), “The Game’s Afoot” (Sept. 11) and “Mary Poppins: The Musical” (Nov. 27).
Theatre in the Country is operated by Parks and wife Erin, who have produced plays there for close to eight years. Before that, they started out in rural Whonnock, hence the theatre company’s “country” name.