“There is nothing that compares to an unexpected round of applause…” APRIL 2024 ISSUE 19 Francis Wilson Playhouse THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG April 4 - 14, 2024 West Coast Players EXIT LAUGHING April 26 - May 12, 2024
April is sending us just a few shows to consider - But they are worth it, I’m sure! Remember, if you are in a show, pass the word to new cast members in the area about sending their emails to receive APPLAUSE to: [email protected]
April in Paris chestnuts in blossom Holiday tables under the trees April in Paris this is a feeling No one can ever reprise Dunedin Showcase Theater (DST) Venue Actor Studio (VAS) c/o Mike Cote 5124 9th Avenue N 1920 Pinehurst Road St. Petersburg, FL 33710 Dunedin, FL 34698 727-822-6194 727-417-0035 [email protected] [email protected] West Coast Players (WCP) Eight O’Clock Theatre (EOT) 21905 US 19 North Central Park Perf. Arts Ctr. Clearwater, FL 33765 105 Central Park Drive 727-437-2363 Largo, FL 33771 wcplayers.org PO Box 297, Safety Harbor, FL 34695 727-587-6751 SAGES Theater (SAGES) [email protected] c/o Linda Goldman www.eightoclocktheatre.com 727-536-7076 [email protected] Francis Wilson Playhouse (FWP) sagestheater.org 302 Seminole Street Clearwater, FL 33755 Tarpon Springs Performing 727-446-1360 Arts (TA) franciswilsonplayhouse.org 324 Pine Street Cultural Center The Ghostlight Young Company (GYC} 101 S. Pinellas Avenue c/o Rachel Fennell Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 3010 51st Street South 727-942-6605 Gulfport, FL 33707 tarponarts.org (978) 930-3804 www.ghostlightyc.org Richey Suncoast Theatre (RST) 6237 Grand Blvd. Gulfport Community Players (GCP) New Port Richey, FL 34652 1619 49th Street S 727-842-6777 Gulfport, FL 33707 richeysuncoasttheatre.com gulfportcommunityplayers.org St. Petersburg City Theatre (SPCT) 4025 31st Street South St. Petersburg, FL 33712 727-866-2059 spcitytheatre.org “WALK A LITTLE FASTER” (1952)
AUDITIONS THEATRE: WEST COAST PLAYERS PLAY/MUSICAL: LOVE/SICK by John Cariani AUDITION DATES: April 14 and 15 at 7 pm. Show dates are June 7-23, with performances on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. DIRECTED BY: Brad Brady MORE INFO: Writer John Cariani (author of Almost Maine) is at it again with LOVE/SICK. The play consists of nine duet scenes about love and loss. Each scene has its own arc and tells the story of a couple at a crossroads in their relationship. Since each relationship is more advanced than the previous relationship, a larger arc emerges and the individual scenes work together to create a satisfying whole that chronicles the lifecycle of a typical relationship from meeting through divorce... And afterward. We are looking to fill the roles of 18 male and female characters from the ages of 20 to 60. No performers paid. Auditions will take place in the West Coast Players lobby on April 14 and 15 starting at 7 pm on both days. For more information and to fill out the audition form, please visit wcplayers.com. The website also has directions to the theater, as some GPS do not accurately locate it.
AUDITIONS THEATRE: GULFPORT COMMUNITY PLAYERS PLAY/MUSICAL: AND BABY MAKES SEVEN by Paula Vogel AUDITION DATES: April 8 & 9 at 7 PM, at the Back Door Theater, 1619 49th St S, Gulfport, FL. Performances June 6 - 16, 2024 at Catherine Hickman Theatre, Gulfport, FL DIRECTED BY: Stephen Bell MORE INFO: Anna, Ruth and Peter await the arrival of their newborn child, but first they must rid the crowded apartment of their three imaginary children. In order to move forward in their newly-found adult responsibilities as parents-to-be, Ruth and Anna (a lesbian couple) and Peter (the live-in gay father of their unborn child) struggle with killing off the imaginary children who are dominating their lives. And Baby Makes Seven transcends the GLBT subject matter and ask: At what point do we put away childish things and accept responsibility for our lives and relationships? Any Baby Makes Seven is startling and funny but it contains adult language and subject matter and is intended for mature audiences only. The director, Stephen Bell, is looking to cast 2 females, 1 male (all late 20s-30s). PETER: gay, has the appearance of a precocious child RUTH: short, dark and intense ANNA: a little overweight right now. THE CHILDREN CECIL: age 9, genius IQ, played by Anna HENRI: age 8, French accent, played by Ruth ORPHAN MCDERMOTT: age 7, with a stutter, played by Ruth Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Arrive before 7 PM to complete an audition form. Headshots and resumes are useful but not mandatory.
THEATRE: FRANCIS WILSON PLAYHOUSE PLAY/MUSICAL: THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG By: Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, and Jonathan Sayer CAST LIST MORE INFO: Shows are April 4 - 14, 2024 at Francis Wilson Playhouse, 302 Seminole Street, Clearwater, FL 33755 727-446-1360, [email protected] CHARACTER ACTOR CAST The applause-loving Drew Street Max who plays the Lover Cecil Actor Robert who Michael Briggs* assays the role of the highly suspicious Thomas The harried Stage Shelly Fowler Manager, Annie The Director Chris, who Alex Lodge also portrays the Inspector Bad Actor Dennis and Blake Boles* Butler Perkins Actor Jonathan and Christopher Rogers* hapless victim, Charles Actor Sandra and Jennifer Lauriello* Vamp Florence Distracted Sound Man, Nick Yakimovich Trevor Plus, the talented Jordan Young* and Danny Tyrawa* as Understudies & Crew *Francis Wilson Playhouse Debut DIRECTOR: Jason Fortner
THEATRE: EIGHT O’CLOCK THEATRE PLAY/MUSICAL: SWEENEY TODD CAST LIST MORE INFO: May 3 - 12, 2024 at Central Park Performing Arts Center. Visit www.eightoclocktheatre.com for more information. CHARACTER ACTOR CAST Sweeney Todd David Russell Mrs. Lovett Lauren Butterfield Anthony Kyle Williamson Johanna Kayley Jewel Judge Turpin Stu Sanford Beadle Megan Jetter Tobias Griffin Spriggs Beggar Woman Jenna Jane Pirelli DJ Schuett ENSEMBLE Cheyna Alexander, Amber Britner, Kevin Buete, Rei Capote, David W. Collins, Mary Davis, Lauren Dykes, Emma Foroutan, Steven Fox, Sara Heller, Alexis Kersey, Sarah Libes, Christian McCormick, Reginald Simmons, Jake Veit, TJ Venieris, Jenelle Vinachi, and Katie Voorhees Attend The Tale. Eight-time Tony winner (including Best Musical), Sweeney Todd is a tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat that has simultaneously shocked, awed, and delighted audiences across the world. An infamous story, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to nineteenth century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which, he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett's luck sharply shifts when Todd's thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up. Featuring unforgettable characters, unexpected laughs, and some of the most chilling and theatrical music ever written for the stage, this masterpiece will surely leave you wanting more. DIRECTOR: Jason Tucker CHOREOGRAPHER: Amy Fee
THEATRE: TARPON ARTS PLAY/MUSICAL: ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID By Jones, Hope, & Wooten CAST LIST Performances: Friday, May 3, 2024, 7:00 pm; Saturday, May 4, 2024, 2:00 pm; Sunday, May 5, 2024, 2:00 pm; Friday, May 10, 2024, 7:00 pm; Saturday, May 11, 2024, 2:00 pm; Sunday, May 12, 2024, 2:00 pm DIRECTOR: Jamie Bierchen CHARACTER ACTOR CAST Kari Ames-Bissette Aurora Williams Libby Ruth Ames Laura Carpenter Sedalia Ellicott Anne Pederson Monette Gentry Melissa Honeycutt Charlie Collins Michelle Walker Deedra Wingate Erica Vitelli Stage Manager Eric Weber In this hilarious comedic romp, four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on the night of their Senior Prom: to be in each other's weddings ... no matter what. Many years later, these friends-for-life are still making "the long walk" for each other, determined to honor that vow. Libby Ruth, the hopeful romantic with the perfect marriage, believes - despite all evidence to the contrary - that her friends can find the very same happiness. Headstrong Deedra's "rock-solid" union hangs by a thread when she discovers her husband of many years has not only a wandering eye but the hands to match. Monette, flashy, high-spirited and self-involved, continues to test her friends' love and patience with all-too-frequent trips down the aisle. And salt-of-the-earth, tree-hugging Charlie discovers - the hard way - that marital bliss is not the end of her rainbow and panics in outrageous style when the opportunity presents itself. Hop on this marriage-go-round for a laugh-out-loud journey with these beleaguered bridesmaids as they navigate the choppy waters of love and matrimony. Libby Ruth, Deedra, Monette and Charlie are committed to the notion that careers, waistlines and even marriages may disappear, but real friendships last a lifetime. Forsaking all others, in sickness and in health, they repeatedly struggle to stage the perfect wedding in spite of fistfights at the altar, runaway brides and the mistaken, and unfortunate, release of a flock of white doves on the first day of hunting season. Always A Bridesmaid is the rollicking tale of four loyal and determined women who definitively answer the question, "Just how far are you willing to go to keep a promise to a friend?"
THEATRE: GHOSTLIGHT YOUNG COMPANY PLAY/MUSICAL: SECOND SAMUEL By Pamela Parker CAST LIST MORE INFO: April 5 - 14, 2024 at St. Pete City Theatre, 4025 31st St. South, St. Petersburg. For tickets, go to GhostlightYC.org/tickets CHARACTER ACTOR CAST Narrator, B Flat Landon Moore Frisky, Owner of Daniel Harris Bait & Brew US, Frisky’s Employee Craig Kennedy Mansel Bill Shideler Marcela, Mansel’s Vicki Baumann No-nonsense wife Omaha, owner of the Tammy Lukas Change Your Life Hair & Beauty Emporium Ruby, Omaha’s Katherine Laczko Employee June Cline, the town’s Allen Coyle beleaguered Undertaker The Town Doc Curt Fennell Mr. Mozel Eric Walby Jimmy Deeanne Jennifer Casler Set in the late 1940s, the play takes place in a sleepy little Georgia town called Second Samuel. The Great Depression is fading into memory, the war has been won, and "Give 'em Hell Harry" is still president. Folks are ready for things to settle down and get back to normal - until the death of a sweet old lady turns the entire town upside down, leaving everybody in Second Samuel wondering if anything will ever be normal again. *** See featured article later in this issue *** DIRECTOR: Rachel Fennell
THEATRE: DUNEDIN SHOWCASE THEATRE PLAY/MUSICAL: ACTING CAN BE MURDER By Eddie McPherson CAST LIST DIRECTOR: Michael Cote MORE INFO: May 3, 4, 5, and May 9, 10, 11, 2024 at the Dunedin Community Center. CHARACTER ACTOR CAST Dolores Gordon, LaBree Hans terminal understudy willing to do what it takes to get a lead role Howard Weaver, Robert Torres sophisticated purveyor of antiques with a slightly shady side Beverly Gladstone, Barb Gasper director of the community theater production of “Which Butler Did It” Janet Duncan, Beverly’s Tammy Folstad uber helpful though somewhat OCD stage manager Georgia Styles, high class Jennifer Saner dame who feels she needs to put everyone in their place Lloyd Fischer, the theater’s Jim Green handyman, not as bright as he seems Guinevere Black, former lead Pamela Torres in “Which Butler Did It” and Dolores’ nemesis
CAST LIST ACTING CAN BE MURDER (cont’d) CHARACTER ACTOR CAST Isabella Watts, inconsolable Susan Dearden actress with serious relationship issues Olivia Anderson, Isabella’s Laura Jackson best friend with a secret of her own Alice Oldacre, an actress Karyn Lorenzetti with a hearing problem in more ways than one Oscar Fairfax, Victor Carr actor/butler/doctor Officer Evanna Biddle, Roxanne Kadiam a policewoman very concerned about her offstage image in the community Geoffrey Chance, into fast Roger Steinruck cars, adventure and getting his entrance right Come witness what can happen when an performer has had enough of playing second fiddle and stoops to extreme measures to find the spotlight. Secrets upon secrets abound in this hysterical backstage farce. Tickets are $15.00 each and are available at the Community Center front desk. Showtimes are 7:30 for evening performances and 3 pm for the Sunday Matinee. For more information, visit our Facebook page or email Mike Cote at [email protected].
THEATRE: SAGES PLAY/MUSICAL: MEMORY LANE By Linda Goldman & Christine Hamacher CAST LIST Performances: Saturdays, May 11 – June 1, 2024, 2:00 – 3:30 PM: 5/11 St Petersburg City Theater, 4025 31 st St S, St Petersburg; 5/18 Central Park Performing Arts Center, 105 Central Park Dr, Largo; 5/25 Clearwater venue to be determined; 6/1 Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center, 4951 78 th Ave N, Pinellas Park. CO-DIRECTORS: Kailyn Rosenthal and Alan Rosenthal CHARACTER ACTOR CAST Liz Marina Spears Nick Rick Kastel Nora Rosalyn Savel Ralph Allen Coyle Mary Martha Norma Caltagirone Father O’Brien Larren Doniger Jane Peggy Whelan Nikki Jane Muhrlin Danny Stan Gurvitz Ken Ray Remillard Anna Joyce Wagner Memory Lane explores life’s unexpected challenges in caring for someone with memory loss and dementia. This poignant collection of true-to-life stories will demonstrate how isolating and misunderstood this disease is and how we can approach the journey with hope and gratitude for the joyful experiences along the way. Laugh at funny moments while savoring tender ones when hardships are met with success in this touching stroll down memory lane.
THEATRE: FRANCIS WILSON PLAYHOUSE PLAY/MUSICAL: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC By Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim CAST LIST Performances: May 2 - 19, 2024, Francis Wilson Playhouse, 302 Seminole Street, Clearwater, FL 33755 DIRECTOR: Jason Fortner MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Emi Stefanov CHARACTER ACTOR CAST Desiree Armfeldt Lisa Reimer Frederick Egerman Rand Smith Anne Egerman Emma Tighe Count Carl-Magnus Asher Carlson Malcolm Countess Charlotte Natalie Ness Malcolm Henrik Egerman Matt Kosinski Madame Armfeldt Ann Rhody Fredrika Armfeldt Mya Simpkins Petra Nicole Lodge Frid Alex Lodge Malla/Servant Kristy Pike First Lady/Servant Nickie Berlage Carlson Osa/Second Lady/Servant Chloe Adair Bertrand/Page/Servant Jeff Preil The Liebeslieder (the Quintet) Mrs. Nordstrom Emily Szymanski Mrs. Anderssen Madison Schatz Mrs. Segstrom Rachael McCann Mr. Erlanson Ryan Kosinski Mr. Lindquist Peter Barlow
FRANCIS WILSON PLAYHOUSE - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Welcome to opening night of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s newest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor. This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a Broadway show—a ramshackle set, a leading lady with a concussion, and a corpse that can’t play dead. It’s a classic murder mystery… and it’s a mystery how it ever got to Broadway! Performances Apr 4 - 14 2024 Directed by Jason Fortner franciswilsonplayhouse.org WEST COAST PLAYERS - EXIT LAUGHING When the biggest highlight in your life for the past 30 years has been your weekly bridge night out with the "girls," what do you do when one of your foursome inconveniently dies? If you're Connie, Leona and Millie, three southern ladies from Birmingham, you do the most daring thing you've ever done. You "borrow" the ashes from the funeral home for one last card game, and the wildest, most exciting night of your lives involves a police raid, a stripper and a whole new way of looking at all the fun you can have when you're truly living. A winner of the AACT NewPlayFest, Exit Laughing broke all records for a nonmusical in Springfield Little Theatre's 50-year history at its premiere. Performances Apr 26 - May 12 2024 Directed by Victor Carr wcplayers.org COMING SOON!!! - TARPON ARTS - ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID In this hilarious comedic romp, four friends have sworn to keep the promise they made on the night of their Senior Prom: to be in each other's weddings ... no matter what. Many years later, these friends-for-life are still making "the long walk" for each other, determined to honor that vow. Libby Ruth, the hopeful romantic with the perfect marriage, believes - despite all evidence to the contrary - that her friends can find the very same happiness. Headstrong Deedra's "rock-solid" union hangs by a thread when she discovers her husband of many years has not only a wandering eye but the hands to match. Monette, flashy, high-spirited and self-involved, continues to test her friends' love and patience with all-too-frequent trips down the aisle. And salt-of-theearth, tree-hugging Charlie discovers - the hard way - that marital bliss is not the end of her rainbow and panics in outrageous style when the opportunity presents itself. Hop on this marriage-go-round for a laugh-out-loud journey with these beleaguered bridesmaids as they navigate the choppy waters of love and matrimony. Performances May 3 - 12 2024 Directed by Jamie Bierchen tarponarts.org ON THE BOARDS!
4/4 - 14 FWP - Production - 8:00 PM - THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG 4/8 & 9 GPC - Auditions - 7:00 PM - AND BABY MAKES SEVEN 4/14 & 15 WCP - Auditions - 7:00 PM - LOVE/SICK 4/26– 5/12 WCP - Production - 7:30 PM - EXIT LAUGHING COMING SOON!!! - SAGES - MEMORY LANE Memory Lane explores life’s unexpected challenges in caring for someone with memory loss and dementia. This poignant collection of true-to-life stories will demonstrate how isolating and misunderstood this disease is and how we can approach the journey with hope and gratitude for the joyful experiences along the way. Laugh at funny moments while savoring tender ones when hardships are met with success in this touching stroll down memory lane. Performances May 11 - Jun 1 2024 Co-Directed by Kailyn & Alan Rosenthal
SHOW REVIEW THEATRE: TARPON ARTS PLAY/MUSICAL: ART Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what if the beholder can’t even see the picture? I mean, all they see is a blank, white canvas staring back at them. Well, that is the entire plot of Art. But if you get the right three actors, ones who have the chops to tear into the fabulous script by Yasmina Reza, you will have 90 minutes of laughter, serious perusal, and some very talented actors. Plaudits to director Laura Lane in her casting! Take Trevor Rockwell Salmon, for instance. Mr. Salmon plays Serge, powering the stage and holding his own with a character that stays steady in his opinion, all the while being challenged when showing his new art piece. He is the new owner of the above-mentioned piece of white-on-white canvas. And he paid a hefty amount for this, um, masterpiece? Mr. Salmon delivers lines in rapid fire and with accountability, for he knows that he isn’t giving in. He bought this piece and he’s ready to defend it. Even when it means standing up against his best friends’ naysaying. Dylan Haight portrays friend Yvan. Yvan is getting married soon and you can see he is stressed by this fact. Much is bearing down on Yvan and the last thing he needs is to have to give a genuine opinion on a painting which is said to be a masterpiece but clearly is not. But when confronted by Serge for a truthful opinion, he tries to change the subject. When Yvan is late for dinner with them, he enters with an excuse about pre-wedding planning, complete with a 3-minute racing soliloquy about problems amongst him and his Mom, his Mother-In-Law, and his Fiancée. It’s a hilarious bit and Mr. Haight plays it for all it’s worth! It received its own well-earned applause. I have saved the best for last for Dave Malloy who rendered the part of Marc. Mr. Malloy is brilliant in this part of the friend of Serge, who just could not bring himself to not only not like this painting but abhor it and call it a piece of “CRAP”! He was appalled to hear that Serge paid such a high amount for it and that Marc hated it so much. He never wavered in his disgust, which caused much friction in their friendship. Mr. Malloy was a joy to watch. He is a natural actor. That is to say he delivers his lines in such a natural way that you think you are listening to someone just talking with you – no sign of speaking written lines from a book or script. Mannerisms, guffaws, asides, facials, rolling eyes, head tosses, smirks, and words under breath are just a few of the what the natural actor brings to the stage and the role he plays. I not only admire this – I cherish it. Well done. Thank you, Tarpon Arts, for bringing this terrific play to us. It’s a good one and one that challenges us as an audience. Gives you something to talk about long after the applause is over.
THEATRE: WEST COAST PLAYERS PLAY/MUSICAL: THE DINING ROOM As an actor, when you step onto the stage, you usually have one character you are going to play. However, once in a great while, you have a role when you enter the stage for the first entrance and you are Actor A, and when you enter the second time, you are Actor B. Or, Actor C. Or, Actor D, or E, or F. And so on. This type of cast is sometimes referred to as an “Ironman” cast. It can only be played by the most talented of actors, as they must take on a multitude of characters - male, female, old, young, different classes, or professions, etc. The Dining Room which played recently at West Coast Players, is one of those special plays. The actors in this play were exceptional. They were Bill Martin, Max Carley, Ray Remillard, Cynthia Hoffman, Barbara Carter, and Erin Laugen. Various vignettes were presented in the same set of a dining room over a period of years. Some comical, some tragic. Some sad, some happy. And some were staged simultaneously, which was certainly a challenge for not only the actors, but also the audience. You are presented with two vignettes going on at the same time on the set with two storylines and two casts - sometimes coming within inches of each other as they pass by. So unique and sometimes confusing - you really need to pay attention. Each of these actors did an outstanding job. But I’d like to say that Erin Laugen was exceptional in a vignette toward the end of the play, in a scene where she was divorcing her husband and was requesting her father if she and her children could come home to stay for a while with him and her mother? He was putting her off and she was frantic. She had to ask him frequently, as he kept changing the subject, or otherwise gave her other off-putting alternatives. You could see the desperation in her face and body language. You wanted to hug her and you wanted her father to just say “YES”! But you couldn’t and every time she asked him, you just cringed that she had to ask him again. It was exceptional acting on Ms. Laugen’s part. Brava. Thanks to director, Victor Carr; stage manager Tianne Sweat; lighting operator Dianna Hanger; as well as all involved in the making of this unique show. It was much appreciated!
SHOW REVIEW THEATRE: GULFPORT COMMUNITY PLAYERS PLAY/MUSICAL: THE VIEWING ROOM Well, I sure hope I never attend a funeral wake like the one in The Viewing Room, recently played at Gulfport Community Players. Oh, it was lively enough. Almost TOO lively! For when Chester Dumbrosky, played superbly by Cornelius F. Coughlin, Jr., was laid to rest in his casket, he was anything but at rest. In fact, he was pretty much alive again for one day - to come to some resolutions with his somewhat distant family members. The first one to see him “undead” was his son Matthew, portrayed by the terrific Rudy Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez has that innate comedic timing and facial expressions to match. A funny tour-de-force, he is. After having Dad all to himself for a while, he is joined by other members of the family, including his brother, Steven, rendered by Richard Walters. Steven has the honors of composing and reading Dad’s eulogy. Can you say - 7 pages??? Mr. Walters plays his character to the hilt, reacting very believable to his Dad’s “second act”. Uh-oh - more family members arriving… Daughters Debby (Nona Edelson) and Patti (Shaheen Mamawala) and Chester’s widow, Florence (Roseanne Olszewski). Between daughter Debby’s “spirit speaking” in her father’s voice and Florence’s worry about losing her new Mercedes, the interaction between the three of them is just hysterically a laugh-a-minute! We want to mention Tom Campbell as the Funeral Director and Mike Fasso as Chet Jr., depicted their roles effortlessly. You can tell that this cast has jelled together easily and made for some fun rehearsals. This was a fun show and director Olga Kruse did a great job selecting this cast! They were nothing short of perfect. Many thanks to Gulfport Community Players and all tech personnel and behind-the-scenes folks. We couldn’t do it without each of you. Thanks for a fun afternoon!
It’s always great to get together with our friends at The Way-Off-Broadway Theatre for their newest saga of talent, hot off the press, written and directed by David Middleton. This time, the group is sending up the praises of old-time radio with Radio Daze. It takes place over Christmas and New Year’s Eve, so everyone is dressed in their holiday finery. We get to hear some great tunes, perfectly lip-synched by our terrific cast, including John & Vera, played perfectly by David Helms and Norma Murphy, respectively. Their “Anything You Can Do” is a real sendup of the Broadway hit Annie Get Your Gun. One of my favorites from Gypsy, “You Gotta Get A Giimmick”, was hilariously performed by Denise Dodson, Lorna Langford, and Sue Woodring. They bumped and grinded across the stage to the delight of the welcoming audience. The radio station manager, Dick Sawyer, portrayed by John Segar, who kinda got the manager position by mistake, lip-synched a beautiful rendition of “Hey There” from Pajama Game. You would’ve thought he was really singing it LIVE! Of course when the whole cast got together to sing “It’s Today” from Mame, it was a sight to behold. It’s always nice to see the camaraderie this group has - the genuine friendship they truly have for one another. Thanks go out to the rest of the fabulous performers, including Ann Belanger, Linda Dunn, Peggy Beane, George Novak, John Gramatikas, Pat Hop, Vicki Nichols, Peggy Wallace, Saralee Fackelman, David Crosman, Danny Murphy, Bernadette Drouin, and Rose Maiolino. Also thanks to Belle Bushong, Jim Russell, Judy Garneau, Julie Pion, Steve Sikorski, Dale Duquet, Marcia Van Solkema, George Novak, Judy Matthews, Linda Burkey, Jim Keady, Darrel Bowlin, Stephanie Bowlin, Kim Boyle, Gloria Gerry, Diane Gramatikas, Marilyn Handy, Brenda Lyness, Diane McSweeny, Sue Mesarich, Cheryle Messersmith, Dave Nichols, Kelley Pettey, Nancy Phillips, George Belanger, Jim Barton, Lynn Barton, and Gloria & Jim Monchilov. Can’t wait for the next one! Start typing NOW, David! THEATRE: THE WAY-OFF-BROADWAY THEATRE PLAY/MUSICAL: RADIO DAZE SHOW REVIEW
Don’t Dress For Dinner, you say? Seriously? Was there a dinner in this plot? Who was the cook? Was it Suzette? Suzanne? Jaqueline? This play was so Crazy! Crazy GOOD, that's what it was! By intermission, you didn’t know WHO was the cook. So much FUN! Let’s start with Robert, played suavely by Christopher Collier. He literally dances through his dialogue and is so debonair. His timing and delivery are impeccable and you can’t even begin to try to figure out who his paramour is, because people are entering the picture fast and furious! His wife, Jaqueline, portrayed cooly and calmly throughout by Bri Middleton, is having her own tête-à-tête. Speaking of which... ...Robert’s good friend, Bernard, rendered expertly by Richard Isaacs, shows up from Singapore to join in the fun. And, of course you guessed it, he’s Jaqueline’s “side by side”. He’s exactly the guy you need in a friend - until he isn’t. Oh, I wish I could tell you it gets less confusing - but it doesn’t. The caterer (Suzette) arrives, represented by the wonderful Velda Gauthier. What a character - you couldn’t miss her wherever she was on stage. But she is mistaken for “entertainment” and it just all continues going downhill. Nearly half of the cast ends up taking their hand as cook in the kitchen. Robert’s secret lady pops in as a bit of a scatterbrained redhead, characterized by Ginger LaRue. She’s perfectly “bouncy and giggly” as Suzanne and we loved her! George, played by Vaughn Wassmer, appears as Suzette’s husband. Just his mere appearance and size is intimidating and adds to the humor. Then add his dry comedic dialogue, and you’ve got a sure-fire closing to a terrific evening of laughs! Co-Directors Kari Kennedy and Jim Russell hit a home run with this comedy. Thanks! We’re still sore from laughing... THEATRE: ST. PETERSBURG CITY THEATRE PLAY/MUSICAL: DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER SHOW REVIEW
Megan McIntyre, April 3rd Alexis Roberts, April 9th Rob Romero, April 10th Belle Austin, April 11th Steve Pressl, April 11th Christine White, April 11th Jamey Feshold, April 13th Matthew Morris, April 13th Jane Russell Gedding, April 14th Jarrett Kohler, April 17th Jen Lee Martini, April 18th Bridget Yurecka, April 18th Jen Pippin, April 19th Shannon Luster, April 20th Alexa Sheppard, April 20th Alicia Jiracek, April 22nd Stu Sanford, April 22nd Lynn Cammareri, April 23rd Maddi Sarlo, April 25th Paula Broadwater, April 29th Linda Hamrell, April 30th (List formed from Facebook Listing)
Since opening in Atlanta in 1990, Second Samuel has entertained audiences all over the world with its mix of down-home humor and small-town secrets and its message of embracing differences — one that’s more timely now than ever. Set in the late 1940s, the play takes place in a sleepy little Georgia town called Second Samuel. The Great Depression is fading into memory, the war has been won, and "Give 'em Hell Harry" is still president. Folks are ready for things to settle down and get back to normal — until the death of a sweet old lady turns the entire town upside down, leaving everybody in Second Samuel wondering if anything will ever be normal again. For one member of the cast, Second Samuel is familiar territory. Victoria Baumann played Marcela in the original Atlanta production 34 years ago, and returns to the role with Ghostlight. There’s no age range stipulated for the character in the script, so after talking with Fennell, she decided to audition. Vicki Baumann “I wasn’t sure I was going to,” says Baumann, who now lives in Largo. “But the story means so much to me I said I just have to do it. When we did it in Atlanta in ‘90, I had lost 15 friends to AIDS. The message that everybody’s heart beats the same was relevant then” and remains relevant today. Ghostlight Young Company presents the Florida premiere of Pamela Parker’s comedy Second Samuel Apr. 5-14 at St. Petersburg City Theatre, 4025 31st St. S, St. Petersburg. For tickets, go to GhostlightYC.org/tickets.
Pamela Parker Playwright Pamela Parker will be traveling to St. Pete for the performances on April 5 and 6. Born in a Georgia mill town, she comes naturally to stories about small-town life in the South. Second Samuel, her first full-length play, was named Best Original Play of '91- '92 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 1995, she won the Southern Playwrights Competition at the Center for Southern Studies at Jacksonville State University in Alabama with A Higher Place in Heaven. In 1997, Pat Conroy invited her to the Southern Voices conference in Hoover, Ala., to read from The Second Samueltonian — a collection of her short stories. In 2010, Parker became an international playwright when Second Samuel was produced in Perth, Australia. Performances of Second Samuel at St. Pete City Theatre, 4025 31st St. South, St. Petersburg, will take place at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, April 5-6 and 12-13, and at 2 p.m. Sundays, April 7 & 14. Tickets are $20. To order, go to GhostlightYC.org/tickets. Ghostlight Young Company is a education-oriented community theater known for its acclaimed productions of Urinetown, The Laramie Project and The Lightning Thief at the Catherine A. Hickman Theater in Gulfport. The company’s community of mentorship is open to anyone from 8th graders to seasoned theater people of all stripes.