The Players Centre News www.theplayers.org
838 North Tamiami Trail • Sarasota, FL 34236 • 941.365.2494 Fax: 941.954.0282
May 31, 2016
THE PLAYERS CENTRE KICKS OFF THE SUMMER WITH “COSÌ”
Sarasota, FL – Beginning June 15th, The Players Centre For Performing Arts kicks off their 2016 Summer Sizzler Series with the touching comedy “Cosi.” Australian playwright Louis Nowra’s semi-autobiographical play was first performed in Sydney, Australia in 1992. It is considered to be one of the most successful Australian plays produced in the last 20 years. Set in 1971, the play is about sanity, madness, illusion, mayhem and theatre. Young Louis learns that sometimes in life, when you chase your dream, it can often be helpful to be a little nuts. Full of symbolism, the plays setting takes place in a burnt out and neglected theatre, mirroring the feelings society held toward the mentally ill in the 60’s and 70’s. Meanwhile protests against the Vietnam War rages on just outside the theatre.
Story: Young theatre director Lewis has just landed his first job straight out of school, staging a production of Mozart’s comic opera “Cosi Fan Tutte”. The catch? The cast are patients from a mental institution, none of whom can speak Italian…or sing. Can this unlikely group, including an obsessive-compulsive, a manic depressive, and a junkie, pull it off?… or will a patient with a penchant for pyromania spoil all the fun?
Director Dan Higgs remarks, “Cosi” is a comedy/drama set in a mental institution in 1963. The playwright examines themes of love vs. war, sanity vs. madness and reality vs. romanticism while we discover, along with our personal guide, Lewis, just how thin the line is between ‘us’ and ‘them’.”
There is still time to subscribe to the entire Summer Sizzler Series for only $45. This includes 3 great shows (“Cosi”, “Cyrano de Burgershack”, and “Bell, Book & Candle”) and three $10 Gift Certificates to Caragiulo’s Italian Restaurant. Subscriptions can be obtained by calling the Box Office at 941-365-2494.
Crew
Director Dan Higgs
Artistic Director Jeffery Kin
Production Manager Berry Ayers
Asst Director Ross Boehringer
Costumes Ross Boehringer
Set Design Jeffrey Weber
Lighting Design Owen Leonard
Stage Manager Sabrina McClenithan
Props Martha Kesler
Asst. Tech Director Alyssa Goudy
Technical Director Ken Junkins
Sound Technician Seth Berry
Backstage Crew Miranda Becker
Cast
Lewis Tanner Holman
Nick Quoc Pham
Justin Ross Boehringer
Doug Parker Lawhorne
Henry Tom Aposporos
Cherry Debbi White
Zac Joshua Seavey
Ruth Jenny Walker
Roy Don Walker
Lucy Anna Massey
Julie Olivia Valek
Performance Dates:
June 15-26, 2016
June 15, 7:30pm – Preview Night
June 16, 7:30pm – Opening Night
June 15-18, 23-25 @ 7:30pm
June 19 & 26 @ 2:00pm
The Players Theatre
838 N. Tamiami Tr., Sarasota FL 34236, 941-365-2494, Fax: 941-954-0282
www.theplayers.org. Box Office: Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and one hour prior to curtain time.
The Players Box Office is located on Tamiami Trail between 10th Street and Blvd. of the Arts.
