Little Lake Theatre shakes off pandemic blues with “Craving for Travel”
Actor Kevin Bass plays one of the characters in Little Lake Theatre's production of "Craving for Travel."
Kevin Bass and Misty Challingsworth star in the Little Lake Theatre production "Craving for Travel," which opens today and continues through July 11.
Misty Challingsworth plays one of the characters in Little Lake Theatre's "Craving for Travel," which is being presented through July 11.
Kevin Bass, one of the stars of "Craving for Travel."
Misty Challingsworth, one of the stars of "Craving for Travel."
We’ve all encountered more than our share of drama and angst over the last year, so the powers that be at Little Lake Theatre in Washington County decided the emphasis of its 2021 season should be on fare that’s light and escapist.
To that end, Little Lake is presenting “Craving for Travel,” a comedy that debuted Off Broadway in 2016 and takes a playful look at a divorced couple who are also rival travel agents. In Little Lake’s production, actors Kevin Bass and Misty Challingsworth play both the travel agents and the sometimes wacky and demanding clients they have to satisfy.
The production is being directed by Joe Eberle, who previously directed Little Lake’s 2019 production, “A Comedy of Terrors.” “Craving for Travel” marks Challingsworth’s Little Lake debut, while Bass has previously appeared in several Little Lake productions, including “A Tuna Christmas,” “The Love List” and “Our Town.”
“They’re both very funny actors,” said Jena Oberg, Little Lake’s artistic director. “It’s a day in the life of these two travel agents.”
“Craving for Travel” was written by Andy Sandberg and Greg Edwards, and is an ode to the travel industry, which in recent years has been buffeted by changing technology. The play was written at the behest of a travel agent and debuted Off Broadway in 2014.
In a 2013 interview with the website Theatermania, Sandberg said, “First and foremost, we want (audiences) to have a good time. It should be a fun evening at the theater, so that’s goal one.”
He added, “We wanted to incorporate a lot of the personalities in the travel industry – the travelers, different vendors, clients, etc. – a big cross-section of that world. … So a lot of the stories in the play are loosely based on anecdotes and ideas and personalities that we encountered.”
Last year was the first in Little Lake’s 72-year history that it did not present a live production, retreating to the virtual realm as most other theater companies did around the world. At the outset of this season, plans had been hatched to present its summer productions in an outdoor performance space that would allow actors to remain distant from one another and audience members to take in the performance in a space where safety is pretty much assured. However, with the lifting of Pennsylvania’s mask mandate, the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and plummeting numbers of infections, “Craving for Travel” will be presented indoors.
“We just wanted to make sure we could do it safely,” Oberg said. “We were confident we could do that.”
Showtimes for “Craving for Travel” are 7:30 p.m. today and Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 7:30 p.m. July 8 and 9; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. July 10; and 2 p.m. July 11. A special VIP event is set for July 9, with a 6 p.m. start time for those who purchase a VIP ticket. It includes drinks, snacks, a conversation with the director, a sneak peak at the performance space and a first choice of seats.
For information or tickets, call 724-745-6300 or go online to littlelake.org.