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Photo by Alan Cradick - StarNews

2015 Wilmington Theatre Awards

We've been nominated for 8 Wilmington a Theatre Awards!!
Congratulations to the following members of the Big Dawg Family: 

  • Charles Calhoun - Best Newcomer
  • Eben French Mastin -Best Actor in a Play -The Hermit of Fort Fisher
  • Susan Auten - Best Actress in a Play - Romantic Comedy
  • Cole Marquis - Best Sound Design - War of the Worlds
  • Steve Vernon - Best Director - The Hermit of Fort Fisher
  • The Hermit of Fort Fisher - Best Play
  • The Witch, The Troll & The Hairy Man - Best Children's Production   (Directed by Gina Gambony)
  • Death Bed: The Play That Bites - Best Original Production (written by Gwenyfar Roehler) 

                 2014

Romantic Comedy 
by Bernard Slade, Directed by Nick Smith

“Romantic Comedy” owes a lot to Noel Coward and Neil Simon; fans of both playwrights will find much to enjoy about this production."
"Auten and Cournoyer not only contrast each other for the unstated “odd couple” motif, but their rapid-fire comedic dialogue remains top notch and only surpassed by acting that demonstrates the palpable unspoken desire between them. Together, the performance illustrates exactly what the playwright is trying to communicate: Separately, they are both talented, but together they create something greater than the sum of their parts."
"It looks like Big Dawg has scored a hit with their season opener. Extra chairs came out last weekend to accommodate enough seating for the sold-out show." -ENCORE (Five Star Review! *****)

"It would seem that Big Dawg Productions has a hit on its hands with "Romantic Comedy," the Neil-Simon-like play by Bernard Slade that's been selling out shows left and right at the Cape Fear Playhouse..."
"Director Nick Smith guides the production with a steady hand while getting some impressive performances out of his actors."
"...Phoebe, Auten does some of her best work on the Wilmington stage (and she's done quite a lot over the years)..."
"At the final curtain, it's not exactly a happy ending, but something more bittersweet – kind of like real life, which only makes "Romantic Comedy" even more appealing." -STARNEWS

Motherhood Out Loud 

by Leslie Ayvazian, Brooke Berman, David Cale, Beth Henley, Lameece Issaq, Claire LaZebnick, Lisa Loomer, Michele Lowe, Marcoe Pennette, Theresa Rebeck, Luanne Rice, Annie Weisman, & Cheryl L. West, 
    Directed by Melissa Stanley, Heather Dodd, Gina Gambony, & Rhoda Gary

"what really impresses in “Motherhood” is the quality of writing matched by the perfect cast members to enact each skit... While the show provides a fair share of heavy commentary, it also comes with a large heaping of hilarity—sometimes both bombarding the stage. "
"I wasn’t expecting to walk away thinking this, but I do: It’s the best production I’ve seen from Big Dawg to date." - Encore

"'Motherhood' is a powerful source of inspiration [and] creation" 
"...as a whole the production company births the baby, nurtures it, reigns it in and then sends it out into the world as the complete entity 'Motherhood Out Loud.' It's a comprehensive look at what it is to be a mother and a validating experience for the more than 75 percent of American women who are mothers." - StarNews

Dearly Departed
by David Botrell & Jessie Jones, Directed by Ron Hasson

"Everyone onstage deserves attention for their dedication to playing these caricatures.... 
    Susan Auten and John “Perk” Perkinson also bring stellar cameos as Norval and Veda. They keep the crowd hunched over in laughter. Perkinson understands physical comedy to a tee and nails it....
    I love the way Director Ron Hasson handles the breaks between sets. Four stage hands move furniture and sing hymnals, which come through appropriately ironic considering the thick of the plot....
“Dearly Departed” embraces clichés of Southern life many will find hilarious: trailer parks, funeral-fainting, infidelity, chicken buckets, unruly kids, bad business ideas, Bible-thumping … it’s all there. ...“Dearly Departed” has an audience awaiting its adoration." - Encore

"Bursting with sharply written barbs and all of the dysfunctional comedy that comes with family gatherings, the parody takes advantage of Southern stereotypes...
"Dearly Departed" is an ensemble effort that hinges on the little piece each character adds to the mix. And what a concoction it is." - StarNews 

The Hermit of Fort Fisher
Written by David Wright, Directed by Steve Vernon

This Southeastern NC premiere of this original work completely SOLD-OUT! 
*Nominated for Best Play, Best Actor (Eben French Mastin - Hermit) & Best Newcomer (Charles Calhoun) in the Wilmington Theatre Awards

"David Wright’s biographical play, “The Hermit of Fort Fisher,” opened at Big Dawg Productions’ Cape Fear Playhouse to a sold-out audience. That alone should indicate the enduring impact that Robert Harrill, known to millions of people and the U.S. Post Office as “The Fort Fisher Hermit,” had on our area." 
     "Mastin only can be described as a theatre veteran... This leading role may be the capstone of his career." - ENCORE

"The play premiered in Burlington two years ago but is just now getting its Southeastern North Carolina debut thanks to Big Dawg Productions and its artistic director, Steve Vernon, who also directs this charming, emotional and well-written show. Interest appears to be running high, as the entire run of the play at Castle Street's Cape Fear Playhouse has already sold out."
    "A compelling performance in the title role is crucial to "The Hermit," and Eben French Mastin delivers"
    "Whatever happens to the play, however, Big Dawg Productions should be commended for giving a local legend his due." - StarNews

Halloween Horror Theatre Festival

"If Welles and CBS performed it half as well at the Big Dawg team does this weekend, it’s no wonder the nation was thrown into a tizzy."
“Frightfully Funny’s” structure is three-fold, with two one-act plays written by local playwright Elaine Alexander bookending a highly enjoyable live comedy set from the local Comically Impaired improv troupe."
"The stories are not high on intensity when it comes to fear. Nor is there gore or dark, foreboding themes. “No Edgar Allen Poe in this production!” Gambony promises. A lot of silliness intertwines with wit and fortitude. Even the stories’ “bad guys” aren’t that bad."
"What does work is a very spry cast, some inspired set design and faithfully bringing the audience into the feeling of making a low-budget movie. There’s an earnestness to “Death Bed: The Play That Bites,” which the film never achieved. Overall, “Death Bed: The Play That Bites” is a funny, engaging show with some good performances and a unique look into the making of a cult classic."

Every Christmas Story Ever Told
and then some...

By Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald, & John K. Alvarez
Directed by David Lee Kent

"Big Dawg has hit a winner with “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some),” and audiences know it. Get your tickets quickly or you won’t be able to!" - Encore - Wilmington  

"...the stories of Christmas are irresistible to those of us inclined toward parody. There's just something, well, fun about lampooning the holiday tales we've all heard over and over. Like giving a hard time to a beloved family member, it's more a sign of affection than anything else. That good-natured ribbing is at the heart of "Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and Then Some)," an irreverent, breakneck romp through some of the season's most familiar movies, TV specials, songs and advertisements." - StarNews