Probably one of the greatest challenges for a writer or director is adapting the written words of poetry to the stage.
Michael Judkins, however, who is both author and producer/director does so with mostly success in 'Interlude to Sentimental Me', currently playing at Rosemont Lutheran Church, 1705 Broad St. in Bethlehem.
The play is a semi-autobiographical story centered around Mercury, a poet struggling to find his sense in the world, thanks to growing up in a bad neighborhood and having a rough childhood along with his sister Solei.
Ryan MacNamara plays Mercury with a quiet brilliance, and Emmeline Usera plays Solei with an honest intensity.
While this play mainly centers around Mercury, and to a lesser degree Solei, there are other poems interwoven that introduce other characters that will feature in other plays.
For example, “Journey to Susan”, about a social worker who had grown up in the neighborhood and is treated as a celebrity when she comes back to work with a child (Flora, played very convincingly by Paige Horvath). Judy Evans (Flora’s foster mother Fiona) leads the ensemble in this scene fearlessly. Dawn Daiganault plays Susan a strong character who is not afraid to stand up for herself.
The end of the play is very moving and features the entire cast reciting (still in play form, of course) “I Stand As Tall as The Willow Tree”, another poem from Interlude to Sentimental Me.
There is a final performance on Saturday, September 22 at 3 pm. The show runs about 82 minutes, including intermission. Tickets are $15 adults, $10 youth (ages 2-17), $7 seniors (62 +), and free for under age 2.