By George Basler
Kylee Thetga said she was looking to play “something unapologetically funny and silly” when she signed up for one of the two lead roles in Matt & Ben, which opens Thursday (Jan. 16) for a one-weekend run at the Cider Mill Stage in Endicott.
The two-character play fit the bill. It tells the outrageous story of how two struggling actors, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, won the Academy Award for the original screenplay of Good Will Hunting after the script fell miraculously from the heavens into a milk crate in their dingy Boston apartment.
While the plot is entirely fictional, the show has been called a sharp satire on the real and imagined difficulties of pursuing a dream.
“The way I pitch it to people is, ‘How did these two fumbling guys write one of the best screenplays of all time?’” Wallenstein said.
The Cider Mill production is being staged by BLAST (Bold Local Artists of the Southern Tier) as part of its 2024-25 season. Rob Egan, BLAST’s artistic director, is directing.
Matt & Ben was written by actresses Mindy Kaling (of The Office fame) and Brenda Withers, who became friends while students at Dartmouth College. The first performance took place in 2002 at the college. The play then appeared at the New York International Fringe Festival, where it was a surprise hit and won the “Best in Fringe” award.
After the festival, it had a successful run Off Broadway with Kaling and Withers acting the roles. Critics gave it strong reviews. The New York Times, for instance, called it “absolutely delightful and deliciously spiteful! Sharp and clever.”
The show has since played in venues that include the Aspen Comedy Festival, Chicago’s Theatre Building,+ and Toronto’s Poor Alex Theatre.
Egan, who calls himself “a kid of the 1990s” (Good Will Hunting came out in 1997), said he’s wanted to direct Matt & Ben for several years. He’s a fan of the Damon and Affleck movie, as well as the play. He noted Matt & Ben is a little bit quirky and different from comedies that BLAST traditionally produces at the Cider Mill Stage. At the same time, “it’s a nice play about friendship with people most of the audience is familiar with,” he emphasized.
Wallenstein said she was drawn to the play because she loves acting in shows that walk the line between the ridiculous and something deeper. In the case of Matt & Ben, the “something deeper” is the nature of friendship that can sometimes be complicated.
Friends see the best and worst of each other, Thetga said, noting one aspect of Matt & Ben is its commentary on male masculinity: “We’re making it funny, playing it up, and making it absurd a little bit.” She’s been watching some of Affleck’s appearances, trying to amplify his characteristics to a theatrical degree.
Wallenstein said, with a laugh, she’s always wanted to play a man, and Matt & Ben gives her that opportunity. “There’s something fun about crossing genders,” she said.
The two actresses have another reason for doing their roles. “Matt Damon in the 1990s was the hottest person in the entire world,” Wallenstein said with another laugh.
Thetga agreed. Matt Damon is “ugga, ugga,” she said.
IF YOU GO: BLAST (Bold Local Artists of the Southern Tier) will present Matt & Ben Thursday through Sunday (Jan. 16-19) at the Cider Mill Stage, 2 Nanticoke Ave., Endicott. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $30, including fees. Advance tickets can be ordered on the Cider Mill Stage’s website, www.cidermillstage.com, or call 607-321-9630.
