LOCAL

Wherley relates to what he finds on "Flight Path"

Ellen Hardesy, Katie Aggas and Jill Baumgardner also star in play set to open Oct 5

Leonard L. Hayhurst
Coschocton Tribune
Katie Aggas as aspiring actress and singer Angel begs her neighbor John, played by Jeff Wherley, to help her rehearse a play in "Here on the Flight Path" opening at the Triple Locks Theater.

COSHOCTON - Jeff Wherley so identifies with his character in "Here on the Flight Path" he believes the author has been reading his personal diaries. 

Wherley has been in about 25 plays for the Coshocton Footlight Players in the last 20 years, but this is his largest role as he never leaves the stage. He does get to share it with Ellen Hardesty, Katie Aggas and Jill Baumgardner as three women who come in and out of the life of Wherley's John Cummings, a Canadian newspaper columnist, over the course of three acts. Amanda Kittel also has a small part as a flight attendant. 

Jeff Wherley stars as John Cummings, a Canadian newspaper columnist, in "Here on the Flight Path" opening at the Triple Locks Theater.

The play is set on two balconies of adjoining apartments, on the flight path of a local airport, where Cummings finds himself getting a new neighbor about every year or so. The first is Fay, a prostitute, played by Hardesty. The second is Angel played by Aggas, a naive aspiring actress and singer. The third is Baumgardner's Gwen, a recent divorcee starting a new life. Each are very different and leave their impressions on Cummings as he affects them as well. 

"I'm not acting, I am this character," Wherley said. "I'm sarcastic, a little bit bitter, he has a little bit of hurt in him, but he's retained his sense of humor. Underneath all that, he really does care about the women that he meets in this play."

Baumgardner finds her character similarly, where she doesn't have to stray too far to play her. She also enjoys the dynamic of having her part condensed to one act and the different segments being one-on-one; each woman opposite Wherley only.

"It feels like his character and each of our characters are developed more because it's just that specific block of time and just two people on the stage," she said. "These are likable characters. They're flawed human beings, like we all are, but you'll be pulling for them. You want to see them succeed." 

Jeff Wherley, as John, helps aspiring actress Angel, played by Katie Aggas, to rehearse a scene for a show in "Here on the Flight Path" set to open at the Triple Locks Theater.

"Here on the Flight Path" is the third work by playwright Norm Foster performed by Footlight Players in recent years. The other two were "The Love List" and "The Foursome," which also featured Wherley. Director Susan Metz Guthrie, helming her 21st play in 22 years, said she saw an excerpt of "Flight Path" and immediately fell in love with its humor and realism - hallmarks of Foster's work. 

"Some scripts you read and you just literally laugh while reading them and it was one of those," Guthrie said.

llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com

@llhayhurst

740-295-3417

If you go...

What: "Here on the Flight Path"

When: 8 p.m. Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 and 2 p.m. Oct. 13. An opening night reception will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 5. 

Where: Triple Locks Theater, 685 N. Whitewoman St.

Cost: Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students. Call 740-622-2959 or go to footlightplayers.com. 

FYI: Due to adult subject matter, the play is not suitable for those under the age of 13.