ITOPA’s The Long Weekend, last of Foster Four in Oxford County’s theatre scene

(Left to right): John Butterworth, Monique Bouchard, Becky Tanton, and Trevor Finkenzeller star in Norm Foster’s The Long Weekend at Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts (ITOPA). (Emily Stewart Photo)

Emily Stewart, Echo Correspondent

Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts (ITOPA) will close off their 2024/2025 season with a fun-filled comedy about friendship that will keep audiences pondering what’s next for the four best friends trying to enjoy a long weekend.

ITOPA will present The Long Weekend by beloved Canadian playwright Norm Foster from June 20 to 22 and 26 to 29. The comedy features four best friends whose friendships are put to the test during a weekend in a country home as they learn how they feel about each other.

"It's a play that has a lot of excitement, laughs, and surprises. There's twists and turns in the script. You never know what's going to happen next and it's just funny, funny, funny,” said director Kathleen Boyd. “If you just want to come, have a nice, good laugh, this is the play."

ITOPA’s The Long Weekend will be the last of the Foster Four productions across Oxford County community theatres, which also includes Embro’s Thistle Theatre, Theatre Tillsonburg, and Theatre Woodstock. Attendees have one more chance to enter a draw to win 2025 season passes to the Foster Festival in St. Catharines.

The 10th anniversary of the Foster Festival, featuring a selection of Foster’s works, runs until August 24.

"This is a great one for that Foster Four to end with because this is such a typical Norm Foster play with lots of repetition of lines and fun schtick that gets repeated by the different characters,” Kitty Babcock, stage manager, said.

“Running gags. Lots of those,” Boyd added.

"Lots of fun bits and this cast is superb at making those happen and bringing them forward without being totally upfront with it,” Babcock explained. “They're much more subtle than sometimes happens, so they're doing a great job. We're very excited.”

Boyd said that the cast has been great to work with during rehearsals.

"I'm really lucky with the cast that we have. They're all really professional. They're just bang on,” she said.

Evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. and matinee performances start at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 6:45 p.m. and 1:15 p.m., respectively. Tickets are $26 for adults, $24 for seniors, $22 for students 12 years old and over, and $10 for students under 12 years old. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.itopa.ca or call 519-485-3070.