On March 9, I caught the last show of the Theatre Guild of Ancon's version of On Golden Pond. Closing night is generally the least-attended show, and this was no exception. However, the seats were mostly filled, and producer Gale Cellucci and director Carlos Williams were very pleased with the overall turnout for this show. It was a welcome sign that the English-language part of Panama's theater scene is alive and well.

The show was also GOOD, and also an interesting indicator of what Panama's English-speaking community is these days.

The leading man, Edmund Ward playing Norman Thayer, put on a stellar performance, to which the rest of the cast played up rather than being upstaged. Ward came to Panama years ago as a Xerox exec, but before his days with that corporation he did some professional acting, and his performance at the Theatre Guild was duly professional.

Ward, who played for the Guild in a 1990 production, has also acted in Panama's Spanish-language theater, and crossed back for this occasion. He is by no means alone among Panama's theater people who work in both languages. As a matter of fact, English is a second language for most of the cast, and the great majority of the audience was bilingual as well. In that way, the play accurately reflected who we, Panama's English-speaking community, are.

The leading lady, Maritza de Morales playing Ethel Thayer, is the past president of Panama City's Spanish-language Teatro En Circulo and crossed over to the English-language stage for the first time in this production. She did very well, not only as an actor but also in a couple of little song and dance parts.

The Guild's newcomer this time, playing the role of 13-year-old Billy, was Samuel Icaza M. The kid has talent to develop, and put in a flawless and convincing performance. He's a student at the International School of Panama, and played Zorro in a school play before taking on this role. His performance was a credit to his school's drama program.

Rounding out the cast were Guild regular Roberto Bruno, a mathematician, history buff and Mayan archaeology enthusiast in his life outside the arts; first-time guild performer Elizabeth Ward, who's Edmund's daughter in real life as well as in the play; and Chris Garza, a US diplomat who played Charlie the mailman. There wasn't a weak link in this chain.

On Golden Pond is a tale of human relationships, of adults making peace with their parents and youngsters putting the spark of joy back into the lives of the elderly. It was therefore fitting that the audience for this play about mature human relationships was sprinkled with some children. This was family entertainment in the better sense.

The Guild will close out its dramatic season in May with "Laura," a mystery to be directed by Catherine Hopkins. The group's little wooden theater will also be the scene of the International School's next play, Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew."

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