Clarkston Village Players? rendition of ‘Rounding Third? brings together two Little League coaches whose philosophies clash both in the game of baseball to how they raise their children and live their lives off the field.
For little league head coach, Don, played by Mark Colley, ‘winning is everything and losing stinks.? Don’s son is also the all-star pitcher and best player on the team.
‘I like Don because I think I’ve known a few coaches from back in my day that were a little bit like he is,? Colley said. ‘I think he is very passionate about coaching and very caring for the kids, but he doesn’t show it where a lot of people would appreciate it a little bit more.?
Assistant coach Mike, played by Brandon Cassidy, believes ‘baseball should be fun? for both the coaches and the kids. Mike’s kid has the least amount of athletic ability on the team.
‘I like Michael,? said Cassidy. ‘He is really concerned with making sure the children are nurtured and safe and have an environment that makes them be the best they can be.? Cassidy said the relationship between the two coaches is a ‘good example of raising children or just being a man.?
‘Whether you want to be more in tune with being sensitive and comfortable with your feminine side or are you just going to be macho and bravado all the time,? he asked. ‘I think it plays a real interesting comparison with those two ideas.?
Colley said the goal of the relationship is to show how the both coaches change over time.
‘It ends up softening Don a bit, toughening Mike up a bit or at least making him more in tune with baseball,? he said. ‘I think they end up seeing how both sides of the coin can work together.?
Director Verne Vackaro also likes the contrast between the two characters.
‘I think both of them have a legitimate point of view and which makes for an interesting conflict,? Vackaro said. ‘The fact that each of them changes somewhat and moves in the direction of the other throughout the play, I find interesting and satisfying.?
Vackaro said he ‘fell in love with the play? when he saw it performed at the Winston Theater.
‘I always thought it was a cute play with a lot of good laugh lines,? he said.
He also liked it because it was only a two man cast something he said is not done often in community theaters due to trying to satisfy theater members with plays with a lot of characters.
‘I think there are a lot of great, funny, good, and interesting shows out there that have small casts,? Vackaro said.
As far as working with Colley and Cassidy, Vackaro said the two worked well together and had a great amount of respect for one another.
‘We’ve laughed a lot during rehearsal it’s a very friendly atmosphere,? Vackaro said. ‘Both of them take it very seriously, both of them responded quite positively to any kind of direction I give them and yet they also offer their own ideas and I like that.?
‘Rounding Third? will run December 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11. at the Depot Theater, 4861 White Lake Road Shows start at 7:30 p.m. on Thurs, 8 pm on Fri and Sat, and 2 pm on Sun.
For tickets, call 248-573-4104 or more information, visit www.clarkstonvillageplayers.org.