Break a Leg, They Said

Community Theatre’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ Overcomes Challenges and Gets Rave Reviews

Superstition warns that to wish an actor “good luck” actually brings bad luck, and that instead one should say, “break a leg.” La Grange resident Steve Wynne, playing the role of The Boss in Fayette County Community Theatre’s production, “Of Mice and Men” took the sentiment a little too literally. While the cast and crew put up a perfect performance on opening night, the following morning he fell and wound up in an Austin hospital with a broken femur. But because FCCT firmly believes in “Building Community Through Play,” his castmates came together to ensure the show would go on to entertain audiences Saturday and Sunday in the emotional drama by John Steinbeck.

The cast and crew of this production had already overcome a monumental challenge just ten days prior when the actor playing one of the main characters withdrew and Kenny Couch, Executive Director of Fayette County Habitat for Humanity, stepped in to fill the role. And fill it he did. “Kenny became Lennie with the first line he read,” said Director Susannah Mikulin, “so endearing and loveable.” Couch’s portrayal of Lennie Small perfectly matched the natural magnetism of Blake Harbers, who played the co-lead of George Milton and left no dry eye in the house. Audience members raved at every performance, with each receiving a standing ovation.

Accolades flooded FCCT’s social media, many praising the ensemble’s acting and the impactful lighting, designed by locals Mark Mikulin and Julie Couch. One stated, “I wanted to say how impressed I was by the play. I had not read the book or seen the movie and was only vaguely aware of the content of the story. I didn’t know how it ended, so every moment of the play was a wonder. What a great experience!”

This was the third and final production of FCCT’s fifth season, and its sixteenth production overall. “We are five years in,” said Assistant Director and Operations Manager Heather Barthelme, “and it seems we learn and grow more every season. It is amazing what we can do when we trust one another and work together to bring art to Fayette County. We are so excited to continue in 2022 Building Community Through Play.”