Rehearsals for “Stray Cats,” a play being produced by Hamilton-Gibson Productions, a community theater group based in Wellsboro, began last week.

“Since this is Hamilton-Gibson’s 30th Season, we had designed it to celebrate our history by bringing back both small cast and large cast shows we had produced since 1991 when HG first started,” said Thomas Putnam, artistic director.

Hamilton-Gibson first produced “Stray Cats” as an entry in the March 2001 Pennsylvania Association of Community Theatres Festival (PACTFest) held in Altoona.

“We were selected to move on to regionals at the Eastern States Theatre Association (ESTA) Festival in April,” said Putnam. “That summer, we also presented the play as a main stage production at the Don Gill Elementary School in Wellsboro. … Because ‘Stray Cats’ has a small cast and we had produced it 19 years ago, the HG Artistic Planning Committee chose it to be one of our 30th Season’s fall productions. Our hope was that we could get the original cast members to reprise their roles.”

The 2001 cast included Putnam, Ryan Dalton, Dave Driskell and Bill Kovalcik.

“We were successful in getting three of the four,” he said. “Each of the three actors plays more than one character. Rob Kathcart will be performing the roles played by Bill Kovalcik. … When COVID-19 hit and we had to reschedule all of our large cast plays, we explored options such as online performances, live streaming and outdoor productions. Instead, we decided to continue offering live theater experiences by adding more small cast shows and keeping those we had already planned to do, including ‘Stray Cats.'”

The play, written by Warren Leight, is a series of monologues by men who are alone for a wide variety of reasons. Some guys are leaders, some guys are joiners, some guys are “stray cats.” This collection of musically influenced monologues portrays nine “stray cats” as they hit bottom, paint themselves into a corner, or reach a moment of transcendence with a unique blend of humor and sadness.

“The use of monologues to tell their stories underscores the solitariness of their lives: one man, alone, on stage, talking about his life,” said Putnam. “Tying the characters and scenes together is a jazz motif created by local musician Dave Driskell. “Throughout the play, Dave’s saxophone is heard between stories, and he and his saxophone are an active element in the final scene,” Putnam said.

“We see the unique world of each of these men – what the playwright calls their “out-of-sorts and out-of-luck souls” – which is expressed as much by the haunting improvisational sound of Dave’s saxophone as the individual narrations. Funny. Sad. Touching, Jazz,” said Putnam.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 9, 10, 16 and 17; 2:30 p.m., Oct. 11 and 18 in the Warehouse Theatre at 3 Central Ave., Wellsboro.

Tickets need to be purchased in advance as no tickets will be sold at the doors.

Seating is limited. Reserved seats allow HG to meet pandemic social distancing protocols. All audience members are asked to wear masks and have their temperatures taken upon entering the building.