On Golden Pond

On Golden Pond is a 1979 play by Ernest Thompson.  On Golden Pond tells the story of Norman and Ethel Thayer (Featuring Phil Thompson and local actress Barb Stauble, respectively), a couple on the “far end of middle age” who, as Norman relents, have once again returned to their vacation home in Maine, on a lake called Golden Pond, for their 48th summer. Norman is in the early stages of memory loss and Ethel is determined to have a wonderful summer, knowing this may be their last. When this story takes place, they are visited by daughter Chelsea with her fiancé Billy Ray and his son Billy Ray Jr. The play explores the often turbulent relationship that Chelsea shared with her father growing up, and the difficulties faced by a couple in the twilight years of a long marriage. It portrays a challenging moment in the family cycle, as old scars are laid bare for us to grapple with the passage of time and the fraught relationships that make us who we are.

This play strongly resonates with our local lake region community, many of whom have cherished lake houses that have been in their families for generations.  The lakes are a special place where families have gathered for years to enjoy the beauty and respite of summers in Maine.  Deertrees Theatre is an especially perfect setting for this beloved story, as it sits in a tiny Maine town nestled in between Long Lake and Crystal Lake. This play may not adhere to everyone’s modern sensibility, as it was written in 1979, nonetheless it is an honest portrayal of a snapshot in time for a family and a couple who are nearing the end of their chapter in a precious and magical place.