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Ensemble Stage to Feature John Posey’s One-Man Show, “Father, Son & Holy Coach,” from Oct. 5 through Oct. 14

Ensemble Stage of Banner Elk lands John Posey, acclaimed screenwriter, playwright, actor and comedian. Posey will be performing his one-man show, “Father, Son & Holy Coach.”

“Father, Son & Holy Coach” explores the vicarious relationship between father and son, convoluting aspects of humor, regret and the dichotomy between success and failure. According to Posey, “A conflicted relationship with my own father had informed and shaped much about me and apparently there was a little exploration that needed attending to.”

Throughout the play, Posey plays 20 different characters, each with a noticeably different voice, physicality and overall demeanor, ultimately showcasing his talent and versatility.

CBS radio celebrated Posey’s versatility and said, “Posey brings to life eighteen characters with the kind of elasticity and specificity reminiscent of the late Robin Williams. It is a beautiful thing when an actor disappears before your eyes and a well-defined character suddenly appears. It is an absolute joy when it happens many times over throughout the play. Such is Posey’s skill, that you almost forget it is a one-man piece.”

Posey’s performance of his one-man show, “Father, Son & Holy Coach,” was not Ensemble Stage’s initial plan. The lead actor of the show that was going to be originally featured was no longer available; the role she was playing was specific to the character and the character’s demographics.

“It’s very hard to find anybody of strong acting talents on that short of notice to be able to come out and do that show, so we were scrambling around trying to figure out what to do,” Gary Smith, artistic director and vice president of Ensemble Stage, said. “That same day we found out we got a call from the production company of ‘Father, Son & Holy Coach.’”

According to Smith, the production company of “Father, Son & Holy Coach” did some research and happened to come across a new theatre district in the small town of Banner Elk, N.C., eventually finding Ensemble Stage.

The small, mountainous town of Banner Elk offers a quaint sanctuary in comparison to large, bustling cities, allowing a change of pace and tranquility for participating parties.

“Our theatre is a 99-seat theatre and they’re used to performing in 700 to 1,000-seat theatres,” Smith said. “They’d be able to get planted and not just have to pack up and move after one or two days, and get to spend some time up here.”

Smith further explicated the play and said, “The show is about a father-and-son relationship that really goes off the rails. Very funny. It’s got football; the father is wanting the son to be this big football star and everything that the kid’s coach says is gospel according to the dad, ergo, father, son and holy coach.”

“Father, Son & Holy Coach” offers a paradoxically comedic yet insightful message to its audiences. While it is heavily football-oriented, the message is much deeper and resonates with virtually every individual who watches.

“Yes, it’s about football, but it’s also about family. It’s also about relationships and it’s a well-rounded show,” Smith said. “I think people who love football will love this show, but I think even people who could care less about football will love the show.”

Showtimes for “Father, Son & Holy Coach:”

  • Friday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m.

Call (828) 414-1844 or visit the Ensemble Stage website for tickets.

About John Posey

John first came to the attention of network casting executives who discovered him on stage with the Atlanta-based comedy group, “Comedia,” a group Posey co-founded in the ‘80s, and brought him to Los Angeles. Since then, Posey has compiled a long list of credits that includes recurring roles on “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Teen Wolf” and guest starring appearances on “Criminal Minds,” “24,” “Boston Legal,” “NCIS,” “Scorpion,” “ER,” “Seinfeld,” “Manhunter,” “From the Earth to the Moon” and “Newsradio,” among others. An established writer, Posey is currently collaborating with Academy Award-winning writer Tom Schulman (“Dead Poet’s Society”) on a screenplay and he has sold original feature scripts to Disney and Sony. He wrote, produced and starred in “Legendary,” a coming-of-age drama with Patricia Clarkson and Danny Glover that was released in 2010. His original script, “Gorgeous George,” has been set up at WWE Film Studios. Posey wrote for the TV series “Doc” from 2001-2004 and created the syndicated radio series “A Lighter Look at Sports” for CNN radio.