Starlite Players presents casts (and photos) for “The Other Side,” set for Sept. 22-25 in the Starlite Room
SARASOTA, FL: Starlite Players looks at “The Other Side,” its next collection of short comedies, and finds humor in four situations that exploring death or the threat of death. “The Other Side” runs from Thursday through Saturday, September 22-23-24, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, September 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the casual, intimate theater upstairs at the Starlite Room (starlitesrq.com), 1001 Cocoanut Avenue. All four plays are presented every evening.
“The Virgin Abduction” by Ron Frankel. Director: Ross Boehringer. A burglar (Ren Pearson) who can’t find a suitable house to burgle spots a young man (Jean-Paul Monde) sitting by a pool and decides to abduct him instead. He takes him to his motel, where he’s joined by his girlfriend (Lauren Ward) and the maid (Grace Vitale). The bemused victim thinks it’s all a prank, especially when he discovers that his inept kidnapper hasn’t even left a ransom note.
“Happily Departed” by Helen Valenta. Director: Helen Holliday. When visiting his son’s family in Indianapolis, Marek (David Harris), 80, collapses. His daughter-in-law (Danae DeShazer) asks, “Do you think you might be getting up soon? I should probably vacuum.” His son (Tom Foley) calls for medical help from his neighbor, a podiatrist, while his opportunistic grandson (Timothy Noble), 16, plays all the angles. They wonder if Marek is dying while Marek just wonders how soon he can get back to his bridge game in sunny Florida.
“The Day That Brando Died” by Lawrence DuKore. Director: Jeff Dillon. It’s July 2004, and Marlon Brando’s death has just been announced. Two old friends (David Meyersburg and Valen McDaniel) discuss the event before their weekly tennis game, never expecting to discover that in their long-ago youth, each had been in love with the same woman–but with vastly different results.
“Next” by Scott Mullen. Director: David Nields. Matt (Ren Pearson) wakes up to find himself in the afterlife. Penny (Danae DeShazer), another newcomer, undergoes the same experience. The jaded clerk (Lynne Doyle) tells them the new rules, which don’t involve love—but Matt and Penny may have found some anyway.
Tickets are $17.50 and include the four comedies as well as a 15% discount on an optional pre- or post-show dinner at The Starlite Room. For show tickets and information: www.starliteplayers.com, [email protected], and 941.587.8290 (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.) Also see the Starlite Players Facebook page. For dinner reservations: 941.702.5613. (Please note the spelling of “Starlite.”)
Starlite Players stages an evening of short, unpublished comedies for one weekend each month and has presented 49 plays since its debut in July 2015. Its focus is on theater professionals from the Tampa Bay area. Jo Morello, Inc., is the producer. In addition to the Starlite Room, sponsors include the Jazz Club of Sarasota, one of the most active jazz societies in the country, and Kobernick-Anchin-Benderson, Sarasota’s only rental senior community.
