May 6, 2014
Venice Theatre and Loveland Center present “The Century of Music”
The 19th Annual Loveland Follies take the MainStage May 29 – June 1, 2014
(Venice, FL) Students from Loveland Center will present four performances of The Century of Music on Venice Theatre’s MainStage Thursday, May 29 through Sunday, June 1, 2014. Tickets are available for $15 at the theatre’s box office by phone at 941-488-1115 or online at www.venicestage.com. Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The production is generously sponsored by Pinkerton Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisers.
As in the past several years, Ronald Krine Myroup – Venice Theatre’s playwright-in-residence – has written an original script for the Loveland Players. The Century of Music tells the story of four generations of music in an American family. Beginning at a jazz club in 1913 Paris, the script traces one family’s emigration to New York City and then their eventual move to California. The show’s characters include iconic music show hosts such as Ed Sullivan (with Mark Pagliaro reprising his role from last year), Dick Clark, and Ryan Seacrest.
Approximately 40 Loveland students and 20 volunteers will be participating in the production. New this year, two Venice Theatre students are involved, playing roles of children in the family.
Lisa Richards, a Loveland Center staff member and volunteer for the Follies says, “Students receive training through the Loveland Follies, which helps to highlight hidden talents by increasing their self-esteem, and their ability for self-expression. For example, students are encouraged to practice diction and projection improving their ability to be heard and understood. This is a useful skill for performing in theater, as well as for self-advocacy in the community.”
The Venice Theatre and Loveland Center are entering their 19th year of partnership. The collaboration between the two non-profit organizations gives adults with developmental disabilities the chance to grow through theatre study. Meeting twice a week for classes and rehearsals, students and community members rehearse and train, which culminates in the full-scale production of the Follies on Venice Theatre’s MainStage. This season they will also be performing – as they did in 2010 to rave reviews – at the international community theatre festival that Venice Theatre is hosing in June 16 – 21, 2014.
Tickets for The Century of Music are available by phone at 941-488-1115, online at www.venicestage.com or in person at the box office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and one hour before all shows for walk-up tickets. Venice Theatre is located on Venice Island at 140 W. Tampa Ave. in Venice. Loveland Center is located at 157 S. Havana Rd., also in Venice. Both organizations offer tours to the public. For a tour of Loveland Center, call 941-493-0016 or email [email protected]. For a tour of Venice Theatre, call 941-488-1115 and ask for Cara Herman, or e-mail her at [email protected].
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Attached photos
1. Mark Pagliano as Ed Sullivan in last year’s production of “A Really Big Shoe: The Life and Times of Ed Sullivan” with Seth Winners as Sammy Davis, Jr.
2. The full cast and creative team of “A Really Big Shoe”
140 W. Tampa Ave
Venice, FL 34285
Tickets: 941-488-1115
