‘I shall make love to your husband’: ‘A Little Night Music’

Published 4:33 pm Wednesday, February 1, 2012

“Here’s my plan,” says Charlotte (right, played by Tena Greene-Porter) to Anne (Chelsea Rudisill), “I shall make love to your husband!” This love-triangle is quickly becoming a love-pentagon in Tryon Little Theater’s production of “A Little Night Music,” currently in rehearsals. (photo by Lorin Browning)

TLT’s production at TFAC Feb. 17-19, 24-26
Charlotte, long-suffering wife of Count Malcolm, has devised a plan to get her philandering husband back. Her plan will involve the young Anne’s husband (Fredrik Egerman played by Ben Chumley), but will ensure Egerman’s faithfulness to Anne in the meantime. That is, if all goes according to her plan.
This is one of the many trysts in Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music,” Tryon Little Theater’s upcoming musical.
You see, Count Malcolm (played by Greene-Porter’s real-life husband, Steve Porter), has taken a mistress. Charlotte has tolerated his infidelity, but now that Malcolm has discovered his mistress’ rekindled romance with Egerman, the count’s jealousy is proving too much for his wife.
And what of Egerman’s wife, Anne? Well, she’s half his age, and after an 11-month marriage, still a virgin, although she has no trouble flirting with his son, who is her own age.
But back to Charlotte’s plan… When Charlotte informs the self-absorbed Anne that Anne’s own husband has also been unfaithful with the very same mistress (Desiree), the two wives conspire to send Desiree “peddling her dubious commodities elsewhere.”

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