On Golden Pond

By: Earnest Thompson
 

Presented by: Strongsville Community Theatre
Directed by: Lindsay Pier

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ON GOLDEN POND is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service. www.concordtheatricals.com

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AUDITIONS

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Auditions: Saturday, November 21st 12:30-4:00pm & Sunday, November 22nd, 12:30-3:00pm

Callbacks: tbd

Location: Strongsville Senior Center, 18100 Royalton Rd, Strongsville, OH 44136

 

Auditions will be a cold reading from the script. Actors are also welcome to bring a prepared monologue (optional).

Bring a list of all known conflicts, along with a current headshot and resume, if available.

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CLICK HERE to review the available time slots and

sign-up to secure your audition date & time.

 

If you are unable to make in-person auditions, please reach out to SCT at asksct@gmail.com.

 

REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCES

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Rehearsals: Starting January 11th

Rehearsals will take place Monday-Thursday from 7-10pm. Possibility for additional rehearsals, as needed.

 

Performance Dates: February 26th-28th & March 5th-7th

Performance times are Friday & Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm.

 

All rehearsals and performances will take place in the Strongsville High School Little Theater, 20025 Lunn Rd, Strongsville, OH 44136 (door D).

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to SCT at asksct@gmail.com.

 

ABOUT THE SHOW

 

This poignant play is the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, who have returned to their summer home on Golden Pond for the 48th straight year. He is a retired professor, nearing 80, with heart palpitations and a failing memory – but still as tart-tongued, observant and eager for life as ever. Ethel, ten years younger and the perfect foil for Norman, delights in all the small things that have enriched and continue to enrich their long life together. They are visited by their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiancé, who then go off to Europe, leaving his teenage son behind for the summer.

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It takes some adjustment, but the boy and Norman begin to bond, the kid awakening in the old man the curiosity and sense of purpose that have gone dormant. As Norman revels in taking his new charge fishing and thrusting good books at him, he also learns some lessons about modern teenage awareness – and slang – in return, giving Ethel hope that she hasn’t yet lost her beloved husband to the dementia she fears will claim him. In the final, deeply moving moments of the play, Norman and Ethel are brought even closer together when he survives a frightening heart attack. Time, they know, may be against them, but the years have been good and, perhaps, another summer on Golden Pond still awaits.

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On Golden Pond premiered on Broadway at the New Apollo Theatre on February 28, 1979. Directed by Craig Anderson, the show featured Tom Aldredge, Frances Sternhagen, Ronn Carroll, Barbara Andres, Mark Bendo and Stan Lachow. Famously adapted into an Oscar-winning film, this touching, funny play is a warmly perceptive study of a spirited and lovable elderly couple facing their twilight years.

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CHARACTER BREAKDOWN

 

Norman Thayer, Jr.: At 80, Norman is the play’s central figure — a retired man with arthritis, heart issues, and early signs of senility. He is sharp-witted, sarcastic, and often gruff, using humor to deflect discomfort with age and mortality. Though he resents the idea of being “old,” he is deeply devoted to his wife Ethel, whose warmth he often contrasts with his own grumpiness. His relationship with his daughter Chelsea is strained, rooted in unmet expectations from her childhood. The summer’s events, especially his unlikely friendship with Billy, begin to soften him and open the door to reconciliation.

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Ethel Thayer: Ten years younger than Norman, Ethel is vibrant, nurturing, and full of life. She is the emotional anchor of the play, balancing Norman’s cynicism with patience and affection. She is a devoted caregiver, decisive in moments of crisis, and enjoys the lake’s natural beauty. Ethel thrives on community and hospitality, welcoming neighbors like Charlie and fostering warmth in the household.

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Chelsea Thayer Wayne: Chelsea is Norman and Ethel’s daughter, in her forties, divorced, and engaged to Bill Ray. She is attractive and independent but still carries the emotional distance from her parents. She feels the weight of her unfulfilled childhood expectations and struggles to connect with Norman. Her arrival with Billy is both a surprise and an opportunity for her to reevaluate her relationship with her parents.

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Bill Ray: Chelsea’s fiancé, Bill is a dentist from California. He is straightforward, honest, and confident, often standing up to Norman’s teasing. His attempts to impress Norman are met with resistance, but his maturity earns his respect. He is also a father to Billy, adding another layer to the family dynamics.

 

Billy Ray. Jr.: Billy is Bill’s 13-year-old son and soon to be Chelsea’s stepson. A typical California teenager, he is initially awkward in the Thayers’ Maine setting. His relationship with Norman evolves from awkwardness to a genuine friendship, which becomes a turning point in the play’s emotional arc. 

 

Charlie Martin: A longtime local mailman and family friend, Charlie is a down-to-earth, sociable Maine man. He has a long-standing crush on Chelsea but never acts on it. He is kind, sincere, and appreciates Ethel’s hospitality, often offering comfort and perspective to the Thayer’s. 

 

These characters form a three-generation family unit whose summer at Golden Pond becomes a crucible for confronting age, love, loss, and reconciliation.