
Norman Thayer Jr, who has been played by James Earl Jones and Henry Fonda is being portrayed by Festival Theatre’s regular, Ed Moersfelder. Since his premiere production with Festival of Arsenic and Old Lace in 2008, Moersfelder has appeared and directed numerous shows. In the last year Moersfelder appeared in The Grapes of Wrath as Grandpa, Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol and Selsdon Mowbray in Noises Off. Moersfelder is an avid writer, is poet laureate of Amery,WI, co-wrote the script for Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman and has written two one-acts also produced at Festival.
In her first season with Festival, Robbye Lewis is playing Ethel Thayer. Since moving to the Twin Cities a year ago from Tennessee to pursue her acting career, Lewis has joined a mystery improv troupe, “Dinner Detective” and completed a TV pilot for a drama series, “For Art's Sake”. This summer she played Ouiser in Festival’s production of Steel Magnolias and has also performed roles such as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Ethel Savage in The Curious Savage and Dora Strang in Equus. Lewis enjoys “the playfulness and positivity of Ethel and the opportunity to portray the depth and beauty of a strong marriage.”
Audiences throughout the run of the play have marveled at the entire cast’s ability to grow relationships onstage, and Moersfelder and Lewis lead the charge. Castmate Greg Marsten shared, “I love the "heart to heart" inter-play between Norman and Ethel, as they remind me so much of my own parents, who are in a similar battle with time, health and aging, while recalling all those delicious memories of summers past.”
Purchase your tickets now for this heartwarming tale at the Franklin Square Black Box. Tickets for On Golden Pond are $26 for adults and $13.50 for youth (ages 5-25). Two of the remaining performances are already sold out, so get your tickets soon. Purchases can be made 24 hours a day at FestivalTheatre.org or through Festival Theatre’s Box Office by calling (715)483-3387 or stopping into the Franklin Square Black Box downtown St. Croix Falls.