Avery Saltzman (Robert) and Susie Burnett (Holly) star in Theatre Orangeville Production of Kiss The Moon, Kiss The Sun. Contributed Photo Theatre Orangeville's upcoming production, Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun, by Norm Foster, touches on difficult relationships, tough situations and impossible yet realized dreams.

Take a young woman in a relationship but not married who is unexpectedly pregnant; take a woman whose life is in danger, the mother of an developmentally challenged adult, worried about her child when she dies; take a doctor with her own problems who is trying to facilitate many aspects of the whole story and you have Norman Foster doing what he does best: presenting a good story, told with honesty, humour and pathos.

As always, David Nairn, artistic director of Theatre Orangeville, and the play's director, looks for balance and empathy amongst his actors when casting any production. While considering the role of Holly Fitch in Kiss the Moon, Mr. Nairn said that he "had no vision of the character, Holly," in his mind until he watched Susie Burnett do "Jan" in I'll Be back Before Midnight, which ran at the theatre until early last month.

Said Mr. Nairn: "I realized that she was perfect for Holly and wondered why I hadn't thought of her before."

Possibly the answer is that this is the first time he and she have worked together. Midnight was cast and directed by Robert More, who knew Ms Burnett well over the years of working with her in Port Dover.

For her part, Ms. Burnett is delighted to be back to Theatre Orangeville so soon, with a part that is also very challenging and completely different from the character of Jan. Holly is the unwed mother, who is, as Ms. Burnett said, " a free spirit, a unique personality."

She told me at our preshow group interview, "There are parts when I'm still learning not to cry."

Avery Saltzman, on the other hand, has known David Nairn since they went to University together, meeting in 1975 - "that's 34 years ago," reflected Mr Nairn, "that's frightening-"

Currently the co-artistic director and co-founder, with David Eisner, of the recently established Harold Green Jewish Theatre, Mr. Saltzman actually played the role of Robert, the developmentally challenged adult, when Kiss the Moon was produced at Theatre Orangeville eight years ago.

He was emphatic about telling me: "What we all have in common here is our friendship for David Nairn which brings us back to Theatre Orangeville. The productions here are usually new Canadian work and performances are kept to very high standard. We all feel great respect and friendship for David."

Lally Cadeau, who plays the part of Claire, Robert's mother, has a string of accolades that is very long, starting in 1981 with the ACTRA Award for Best Newcomer. She won a DORA Award for Best Actress in 2008 for her portrayal of Rose in the play by that name which was the inaugural production for the Harold Green Jewish Theatre. She played nine seasons at Stratford and many, many roles all over North America, including seven seasons as Janet King in Road to Avonlea. Ten years ago, Ms Burnett worked with Ms Cadeau at Stratford in the Pride of Miss Jean Brodie.

Of her role as Claire, Ms Cadeau told me: "(in the play) I lost my husband 32 years ago so Robert and I have been constant companions all those years. I'm his mother but we are best friends as well."

David Rosser lives separate lives in the theatre world: on the one hand, he plays in musical theatre, just coming from a year's tour in Mama Mia! ("It gave me the chance to spend the winter in California.") and having appeared in Dads, the Musical here in Orangeville; on the other hand, he acts in straight drama, frequently omitting to admitting to his life in musical theatre.

He remarked rather wryly, "After all these years, theatre still doesn't get it - people in dramatic theatre think that musical actors can't do both."

Mr. Rosser, playing the part of Simon Garvey, the father of the child who is some years Holly's senior, said of the play, that while it deals with some heavy themes, "Norm (Foster) lets you off the hook with comedy. He says, 'It's okay to laugh." There's a need for hope right now - this is a perfect time for this play.

He touches your heart so that you're saying, 'I know where this is coming from.'"

Ms Cadeau added to this: "It's a story about friendship and the adaptability of friendship. It touches the tender places."

Mr. Saltzman assured me, "People are going to laugh a lot."

Elizabeth Glenday, manager at Access Fitness in Orangeville, has long experience in the theatre as well. She takes on the role of Dr. Andrews, consultant to Robert and his mother, Claire. She is ecstatic to be working on this play at Theatre Orangeville. As she said, "The doctor facilitates things within the play." Of her own varied life between the theatre work that she does, the fitness shop where she works and her frequent role in the community as a clown, she says: "I absolutely adore everything that I do."

This is David Nairn's favourite of Norm Foster's plays. It is the only play the theatre has ever reprised, but there are differences between this production and that of eight years ago - 2001.

Said Mr Nairn, "This is a different time - I'm a different person and director - better, more experienced. I wanted to do this play partly because of our relationship with Community Living Dufferin (CLD). I never knew challenged adults before and now I have friends who are challenged - so this has a very different perspective for me. It's a brave play with courageous actors."

Once again, the artistic directorship of Theatre Orangeville proves that theatre is a strong element of the community, reflecting its diverse nature, showing what constitutes the fabric of the whole.

Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun runs from April 16 (preview) to May 3. Tickets at the box office, as always. Don't miss it.