Interview: Fred Prestine And Anthony Geraci of BLACK COMEDY at Little Theatre Of Mechanicsburg

Peter Shaffer's one-act play, Black Comedy, was first performed in 1965 and was immediately a comedy success. In 1967 it made its way to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre with an all-star cast including Geraldine Page, Michael Crawford, Lynn Redgrave, and Donald Madden. In the play the audience is treated to all of the great elements of a farce-mistaken identities, unexpected characters, and improbable situations. Broadway World had the opportunity to get the inside scoop on Black Comedy opening at Little Theatre Mechanicsburg on March 1st from Fred Prestine (producer and actor) and Anthony Geraci (director).

BWW: Tell us a little about yourself

Prestine: I'm Fred Prestine, and I'm the production coordinator for the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg. I'm also the producer for Black Comedy as well as playing the role of Brindsley.

Geraci: I am an actor, occasional writer, and occasional cool guy. Over the last 8 years I've been involved in a dozen shows throughout the region and can honestly say that community theater is my favorite hobby.

BWW: For those unfamiliar with the show, explain in your own words the title of the show Black Comedy.

Prestine: A few minutes into the show, the power goes out, and the rest of the action takes place in a blackout - at least for the characters. The audience gets to see all of the action thanks to reverse lighting. It's a pretty neat concept, actually. The lights go dimmer whenever a match is struck, and go back to full light when we're in the dark.

Geraci: This is a show that takes place entirely in the dark, and a great deal of the jokes take place at the expense of the main character.

BWW: We've all had experiences where we've tried to impress someone. In the show, two of the characters, Brindsley and Carol, go to great lengths to impress Carol's father and Georg Bamberger. Can you share with us a time when you took extraordinary measures to impress someone?

Prestine: It wasn't so much to impress, but rather to surprise my wife when I proposed. Up until that point, I could never surprise her with anything. She'd always figure it out before the moment came, and it would be lackluster. I narrowed it down to Kipona weekend because I wanted to do it during the fireworks. I knew they always had it on the Sunday evening during that weekend. Of course, that year they didn't post it on the schedule, so I start frantically calling or emailing any contact person I could find. Once I confirmed the fireworks would still happen, I began with the other arrangements. I planted a photographer on the bridge and got some of our close friends to spend the day with us (so it didn't seem obvious I was up to something). But, very much like my character in the show, things began to unravel pretty quickly for me. The fireworks were delayed for some reason, there were gigantic spiders along the railing that I wanted to lean on as I was building up to it, and the photographer kept missing us. When she finally found us, she had forgotten her filters, so all of the pictures are in that orange glow from the Harvey Taylor Bridge street lamps. In spite of all of that, she was still surprised and still said "yes" and is actually in the show, too. It's a family affair....emphasis on the affair. She plays my mistress.

Geraci: I managed to get a beautiful wife who loves me. I think that says it all.

BWW: This show is rife with humor-mistaken identities, general chaos and confusion-what part do you find the most humorous?

Prestine: When I first heard about the show, I was drawn to the premise - wandering about in the "dark", but the audience can see everything. People really do act differently in the dark and you definitely see that portrayed on stage. Yes, we have mistaken identities in the show, but we get to take it to another level. Not only are people not who you think they are, they aren't where you think they are either.

Geraci: Nothing makes me laugh quite as hard as watching actors having to improvise, so some of my favorite moments are often mistakes that are brilliantly and hilariously covered up.

BWW: As the director, what was the most challenging part of directing this show?

Geraci: Comedy is often difficult when the jokes aren't always explicitly written as such. So, the biggest challenge is not only finding the jokes that are written, but also finding those moments when the actors can inject their own flavor or humor into the show and letting them have some fun.

BWW: As an actor, what is your favorite thing about acting in this show?

Prestine: I always enjoying seeing how other actors bring their characters to life. For this show in particular, they add things I would've never thought of, and it's amazing and hilarious to see when they try them out. On top of that, Anthony has a keen eye for humor. He is able to point out punch-lines we may have missed or has us try different ways of delivering the lines. I know I've definitely grown as an actor from this show and this has been one of my favorite casts to work with. At the end of the day, I love comedies and this one continues to make me laugh.

BWW: Many comedies rely on the humor of mistaken identities. What sets this play apart from other farces?

Prestine: I think the physicality of the show definitely sets this one apart. There are many elements from farces that you will see in the show, but the fact that we're stumbling about in the "dark" is something I know I've never seen done before.

Geraci: This one takes place in the DARK! Eh? Eehhh? Also it was written by the guy who did Equus!

BWW: We learn that one of the characters is mistaken for an important, wealthy gentleman. If you were mistaken for a celebrity, who would you want it to be and why?

Prestine: I've been mistaken for other people quite often, even by my own father once. Someone I went to high school with looked a lot like me and when we were rehearsing for graduation the evening before, my dad wound up talking with him about how mom was waiting in the car. It is pretty funny looking back at it. Oh, another time I was at a bar where the Plain White T's were playing. Someone thought I was part of the band and insisted on buying me a drink. I kept it cheap for him, like a $2 bottle of beer or something. If I could actually be the one that picks the celebrity though, I'd like it to be from the b- or c- list. I actually think I could pass for the kid on The Goldbergs. I love that show, but have no idea what his name is, and I think the person mistaking me for him would be in the same boat. I'd have a lot of fun in a situation like that and could stretch it out for a bit, all while being very believable.

Geraci: People.... very often say that I look like Markiplier (a YouTube celebrity). I don't "want" this. But it happens. Although it did make for a really easy Halloween costume.

Black Comedy opens at Little Theater of Mechanicsburg on March 1st and runs for the first three weekends in March (until the 17th). For tickets, please visit ltmpa.com or call the box office: 717-766-0535. While there's not a bad seat in the house, seating is very limited so act quickly!

To post a comment, you must register and login.