By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
Brothers battle over a board game in “Heaven Help Me,” which will open July 9 at The Barn Theatre. In the photo are cast members, from left, Victor Angelo, Geneseo; Mike Kelly, Rock Island, and Ernest Toutant, Kewanee. Contributed Photo
The Richmond Hill Players continue their 2026 season with the comedy-fantasy “Heaven Help Me,” by Joe Simonelli.
The show is presented Thursdays through Saturdays, July 9-19, at The Barn Theatre in Geneseo.
Dana Skiles, Geneseo, directs the play.
ABOUT THE PLAY:
The three surviving Holloway brothers are facing a dilemma. Their string of casual eateries is losing money and, in order to save the family business, oldest brother Sam wants to sell the only remaining joint property, a valuable waterfront house in Rockaway Beach, N.Y. The problem is that Rollie, the ‘black sheep’ youngest brother, has his own plans for the proceeds, namely, to pay off the loan sharks he owes money to.
Middle brother and business accountant Kevin has an overbearing wife who also wants her share. And let’s not forget their deceased brother’s widow Martha, who also holds a quarter-share and needs the money due to a pending divorce.
If all that is not bad enough, deceased brother Fred is haunting the beach house and doesn’t want anyone else living there!
The cast in “Heaven Help Me” features Victor Angelo, Geneseo; Cali VanZandt, Atkinson; Mallory Park, Ernest Toutant, both of Kewanee; David Shaffer, Moline, and Mike Kelly, Rock Island.
The staff includes stage manager John Phillips, Galesburg; Light/sound designer/operator Dana Skiles; set builder Mike Skiles, Geneseo, and Jim Skiles, Colona; and crew person, Elliana Moore, Coal Valley.
On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sunday shows are 3 p.m. matinees with the doors opening at 2 p.m.
Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Richmond Hill box office at 309-944-2244 or by visiting the website at rhplayers.com.
Late seating is not permitted; no one will be admitted to the theater after the show has started. People who leave the theater during the performance will not be allowed to return to their seat until a suitable break in the play.
Admission to all performances is $12.
An audio description performance will be held Friday, July 10. Richmond Hill also offers Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs), which can be requested at the time reservations are made.
ABOUT: RICHMOND HILL PLAYERS - a non-profit community theater group presenting plays in the converted top floor of an old dairy barn in Geneseo since 1968. Approximately 100 active members are involved on and off-stage each year, with actors, directors, backstage personnel, support staffs, and audience drawn from a 75–100-mile radius that includes cities in both Illinois and Iowa.
