‘Fuddy Meers’ to open at Scene One Theatre

Scene One Theatre’s next play features a “curio-cabinet” of bizarre characters.

“FUDDY MEERS” follows Claire, who has a rare psychogenic amnesia that erases her memory every night, as she is forced into adventure after adventure.

Claire’s usual routine with her husband is thrown out the window when a half-blind, half-deaf man in a ski mask pops out from under her bed and claims to be her brother, there to save her. Along her journey, Claire comes across many odd characters as the plot brings her closer to revealing her past life and everything she thought she’d forgotten.

Director Tom Renner has been working to see “FUDDY MEERS” unfold on the Scene One stage for nearly 20 years after falling in love with the show when he assistant-directed it in college.

“It’s been kind of a long ride for me,” Renner said, adding that Scene One holds a special place in his Heart since the stage is named after his father, the late Jack Renner.

“He always encouraged me to do this, to do this show specifically because he knew that it was something that sparked my interest and got me thinking and it was something that I know he wanted me to do,” Renner said of his father.

Renner is directing the seven-person cast, which includes Tiffany Garnett as Claire, Doug Richardson as Richard, Caleb Forrest as Kenny, John Wells as Limping Man, Tammy Acosta as Gertie, Terry Yates as Millet/Hinky Binky, and Stephanie Gladbach as Heidi.

Renner and set-builder Steven Carrel have been working to balance the simpler black-box set with the use of color and light to represent certain scenes and emotions in the show.

“I’m kind of treating the set as a giant canvas,” said Renner, who is an artist in his free time.

“FUDDY MEERS” opens Aug. 15 and also runs Aug. 16-17 and 22-24. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Due to the language and subject matter, there is an 18-and-older suggested age for audience members.

Tickets are $15 and can be reserved online at sceneonetheatre.com.