Funnier than Caddyshack and faster than a two-iron slice
The grand old game gets spoofed in Ken Ludwig’s farce, The Fox on the Fairway
(Venice, Florida) After nearly sold-out runs of Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story and Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, Venice Theatre is preparing its next MainStage offering, a popular Ken Ludwig farce about golf. The Fox on the Fairway is directed by Peter Ivanov and will open Tuesday, March 31, 2015 with performances through Sunday, April 19, 2015. The show begins at 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $28 for adults, $15 for college students, $13 for children and are on sale now at the theatre’s box office located at 140 W. Tampa Ave. in Venice, online at www.venicestage.com or by phone at 941-488-1115. Gulf Coast Community Foundation has generously sponsored the production.
In a community that boasts a large number of golf courses, the theatre expects another box office hole-in-one with Fox on the Fairway. Aside from the relatable topic, the show features some of the theatre’s favorite performers and a script written by the man dubbed “the reigning king of American farce.” Ken Ludwig, winner of two Laurence Olivier Awards and three Tony Award Nominations, is also known for Leading Ladies, Moon over Buffalo and Lend Me a Tenor.
Although Fox on the Fairway is the type of comedy that might appeal more to audiences than critics, it has received its share of positive reviews. The Washington City Paper said, “It’s a grand slam! A slam dunk! A Dunkin’ Donut hole! A hole in one! [The Fox on the Fairway] hums like a well-oiled machine but retains its human soul.”
The Washington Examiner raved, “Ken Ludwig has a wicked sense of comedic anarchy, giving his characters such zany idiosyncrasies that they soar to dizzying heights!” And from the Alexandria Gazette: “There’s something magical about the sound of explosive laughter in a theater. That is the kind of magic offered with Ken Ludwig’s The Fox on the Fairway.”
In his forward to the script, Ludwig writes about farce as a genre and explains, “When a complex story ticks along without missing a beat, then fits together perfectly at the end like a Chinese puzzle box, we leave the theater feeling exhilarated. The experience might be described as catharsis through laughter.”
Venice Theatre invites audiences to spend an exhilarating evening or afternoon with the crazy cast of characters at the Quail Valley Country Club in this charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and man’s eternal love affair with… golf.
Again, tickets for The Fox on the Fairway and all Venice Theatre shows and events through June 2015 are available at the box office at 941-488-1115 or online at www.venicestage.com. Subscriptions for the 2015-2016 season are also on sale. Venice Theatre is located at 140 W. Tampa Ave. on the island in Venice. The box office is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and one hour before performances.
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The Fox on the Fairway
By Ken Ludwig
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director – Peter Ivanov
Stage Manager – Rich Schmelke
Technical Director – John Michael Andzulis
Scenic Designer – Matt McClure
Lighting Designer – Ryan Mueller
Costume Designer – Chelsea Sorensen
Sound Designer – Dorian Boyd
CAST
Justin – Matt McClure
Louise – Ariella Pizarro
Bingham – Jerry Zezas
Pamela – Nancy Denton
Dickie – Thomas Rogers
Muriel – Maureen Young
Tickets: 941-488-1115
Venice Theatre’s mission is making a dramatic impact on all stages of life. The second-largest out of 10,000 community theatres in the United States, it is located at 140 W. Tampa Ave .on the island in Venice, FL. Its MainStage offers seating for 432 patrons and features musicals, plays, concerts and special events. Its Yvonne Pinkerton Theatre seats 90 patrons and is home to the theatre’s “Generations”, Stage II and Cabaret Series. In addition to providing entertainment to the community, Venice Theatre has a wide range of education and outreach programs for children and adults.
