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Island Players celebrate ‘A Doublewide, Texas Christmas’

Island Players celebrate ‘A Doublewide, Texas Christmas’

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players’ hurricane-delayed production of “A Doublewide, Texas Christmas” opened on Nov. 13, and it was worth the wait.

The performances will continue through Sunday, Nov. 23.

Written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten and premiered in Texas in 2017, the Island Players production is co-produced by the Off Stage Ladies of The Island Players and directed by Kelly Wynn Woodland.

The southern-fried comedy tells the laugh-out-loud tale of a 10-resident mobile home community that seeks county com­mission approval to be officially incorporated as the independent town of Doublewide, Texas. And as Christmas approaches, they’re running out of time to meet the county’s make-or-break, year-end deadline to complete the ever-shifting incorporation process.

In a funny and entertaining manner, “A Doublewide, Texas Christmas” explores small town economics and politics, the fight for home rule rights and the threat of consolidation – issues that hit close to home on Anna Maria Island due to the real-life challenges the three Island cities have faced from state legislators and county commissioners in recent years.

Like the fictional inhabit­ants of Doublewide, the Island Players production of “A Doublewide, Texas Christmas” is an exhibition of persistence and resil­ience. The play was first cast in September 2024 but production shut down after two rehearsals due to the damage Hurricanes Helene and Milton inflicted on the Island – while sparing the city-owned performing arts theater of any major damage.

Last month, the entire cast resumed the long-de­layed rehearsals that led to their triumphant opening night performance.

“The cast is fantastic,” Woodland said when discussing the play. “This is the same cast from a year ago.

They stayed in touch with each other and built those relationships that come across on the stage. It’s a play about relationships and people taking up for each other and building a community; and they have done that.

“It’s a very funny play and it’s funny because the characters are funny people with large personalities. The costumes are a hoot. There’s over 100 costume pieces and there’s some specialty costumes and specialty props that are fun and funny,” she said.

Island Players celebrate ‘A Doublewide, Texas Christmas’
Kelly Wynn Woodland directed “A Doublewide, Texas Christmas.” – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“There’s a lot of unique and interesting set pieces too,” Woodland said of the primary setting in the mayor’s doublewide trailer home that’s also Doublewide’s town hall.

The mobile home/town hall interior includes a Christmas wreath made from a real Model-T tire, a mosaic painting of Elvis and a portrait of beloved Texan and presidential first lady, “Lady Bird” Johnson.

Island Players celebrate ‘A Doublewide, Texas Christmas’
“A Doublewide, Texas Christmas” is a fast-moving play. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“I think the audiences are really going to like the play. It’s pretty wild and it moves pretty fast. It’s fun and heartwarming. I hope they feel the love and camaraderie between the characters and how people with extremely different personalities can come together to achieve a goal that benefits all of them,” Woodland said.

THE PLAYERS

The story begins with Big Ethel Satter­white (played by Laura Morales) entering from the side of the stage and standing in front of the yet-to-be-opened curtain while addressing the audience that finds itself playing the role of the residents of the Stairway to Heaven retirement village where Big Ethel works. Ethel informs the retirement home residents of the potential gastrological, family and romantic perils the approaching holidays may bring.

Throughout the performance, the come­dic action extends beyond the confines of the stage and out into the theater itself.

Sue Belvo plays Georgia Dean Rudd, a middle-aged woman who’s worked at Bronco Betty’s Buffeteria restaurant since she was 16. She hopes to one day own the local eatery and she still pines over Nash Sloggett, her “one that got away.”

Sadie Palmer plays Lark Barken, a recently widowed young woman who’s now raising her infant daughter, Arden Rose, alone. Lark also longs for Nash, who happens to be her long-lost father she’s never met.

Rick Kopp plays Haywood Sloggett, a widower who got a second chance in Doublewide despite his past undesirable behavior that included breaking up his son Nash’s blossoming romance with young Georgia Dean. Haywood hopes to bring Nash home for Christmas to help make things right.

Morgan Powis plays Joveeta Crumpler, the determined mayor of Doublewide, who’s doing everything in her power to overcome the county commission’s ever-changing, self-serving efforts to avoid incorporating the town.

Island Players celebrate ‘A Doublewide, Texas Christmas’
Morgan Powis plays Joveeta Crumpler, the determined Doublewide mayor, and Catherine Penta plays her attention-seeking mother, Caprice. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Catherine Penta plays Caprice Crumpler, Joveeta’s drink-sneaking, attention-seeking mother who still clings to the sliver of glory she found as a small town, cable TV commercial actress.

Francesca Mendolia plays Patsy Price, Haywood’s bitter and downtrodden sister who arrives in Doublewide after being hoodwinked out of her money and shamed by her own behavior in Tugaloo – the neighboring town that hopes to annex Doublewide into its municipal tax base.

Mike Lusk plays Norwayne “Baby” Crumpler – Joveeta’s enthusiastic, energetic and dimwitted brother who serves as Doublewide’s police chief, fire chief and cleaner of septic tanks.

Mark Woodland plays the elusive Nash Sloggett, whose uncertain return to Doublewide is desired by many.

Island Players celebrate ‘A Doublewide, Texas Christmas’
The residents of Doublewide are determined to incorporate their hometown. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In their collective efforts to incorporate their town, the Doublewide inhabitants embark on a series of escapades as they try to increase the town’s revenues and raise the town’s profile as a tourist destination by developing a Texas-inspired, vegetable-based roadside attraction. At the last minute, an elusive, double-crossing county commissioner informs the residents that they must double Doublewide’s population as yet another stipulation of incorporation.

Island Players celebrate ‘A Doublewide, Texas Christmas’
Big Ethel returns from The Alamo nativity scene. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The desperate residents enter the town in a countywide, Texas-themed nativity scene contest that takes a disastrous turn that further impedes the path to incorporation. But despite the never-ending challenges and self-inflicted mishaps, the Doublewide residents never lose sight of their shared goal to make their hometown a bonafide Texas town.

TICKET SALES

Tickets for “A Doublewide, Texas Christmas” are $20-$30 dollars and can be purchased online at www.theislandplayers.org. After receiving your digital tickets by email, you can use your phone to display them when entering the theater. Digital tickets can also be printed at home in advance. Those who prefer traditional pre-printed tickets can purchase them at the box office beginning an hour before showtime or during normal box office hours, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Island Players commit ‘Death by Design’

Island Players commit ‘Death by Design’

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players’ production of Rob Urbinati’s “Death by Design” is an entertaining, comedic, ‘whodunit’ that features witty dialogue and unexpected plot twists dispensed by a talented eight-member cast.

Directed by Island Players veteran Preston Boyd, “Death by Design” opened on March 13 and continues through March 30.

Island Players commit ‘Death by Design’
Everyone in the room is a suspect and a potential killer. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The parlor game-like murder mystery unfolds inside a country manor outside of London, England in 1934. “Death by Design” begins with Bridgit, the outspo­ken Irish maid, cleaning up a mess left behind made by her employers, Edward Bennett, a snobby, moderately talented but commercially successful playwright, and Sorel Bennett, his self-interested and increasingly discontented wife and leading lady.

Portrayed by Island Players veteran Kristin Mazzitelli, Bridgit possesses an impressive knowledge of poisons, loves reading the scandalous and murderous accounts detailed in “The Tittle-Tattle” gossip paper and yearns to be a crime-solver herself.

Edward is played with great enthusiasm by James Thaggard, who has performed in or directed more than 40 Island Players productions. Sorel is wonder­fully portrayed by University of South Florida English teacher Valerie Lipscomb, returning to the Island Players’ stage for the fifth time.

The couple has unexpectedly returned to their country manor for the weekend after getting into another combative argument triggered by Edward’s latest play and Sorel’s latest performance earning less than stellar reviews in the “Daily Mail.”

Before Edward makes his first appear­ance, Bridgit is joined by Jack, the likeable and promiscuous chauffeur who drives the Bennetts and their guests around in a Bentley motor car. Jack is played by Minnesota native Travis Cornwell, appearing for his first time on the Island Players’ stage.

Island Players commit ‘Death by Design’
Travis Cornwell plays Jack and Kristin Mazzitelli plays Bridgit. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

As Act I unfolds, a series of invited and uninvited guests appear one by one, each bringing their own ambitions, idiosyncra­sies, secrets and personal agendas to the gathering.

Bored with Edward’s writing and marital offerings, the attention-deprived and professionally bored Sorel has invited recently-elected parliamentarian Walter Pearce to join her for the weekend. Walter is played by Jack Watts, a community theater veteran making his first Island Players appearance after a long, real-life career in law enforcement.

Island Players commit ‘Death by Design’
Sorel, Walter and Edward set the stage for the conflicts to follow. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Walter ran on a platform of morale reform yet desires the company of another man’s wife. He also hides a deep secret and a checkered past of his own and has a disdain for government funding of the arts.

Walter and Sorel’s time alone in the parlor is disrupted by Eric, a frantic young socialist who’s escaped from a mental institution and come to encourage Edward to begin writing plays of greater social significance for England’s downtrodden working class.

Returning to the Island Player’s stage, Jeffrey Steiger’s energetic portrayal of Eric is reminiscent of the frenetic comedy stylings and high-pitched vocal man­nerisms used by well-known stand-up comedian and actor Bob Goldthwait. Edward and Eric also share an affinity for Sorel’s theatrical rival, the lovely Gertrude Lawrence.

In real life, Steiger is a director and playwright and serves as artistic director at the FLS Theatre at Florida International University.

Island Players commit ‘Death by Design’
Jeffery Steiger portrays Eric and Ruth Shaulis portrays Victoria Van Roth. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Portrayed with great aplomb by longtime performer Ruth Shaulis, the next guest to arrive is Victoria Van Roth, the bohemian, abstract artist, interpretive dancer, musician and martini drinker who shares a secret with Sorel and someone else in the room.

Portrayed by Victoria Raybourn, the last to arrive is Alice, a gun-toting, optically challenged childhood companion of Jack who sets her sights on righting a wrong committed long ago by one of the other guests. Alice’s deafening wails become another source of discontent for Edward, who begs her to lower the volume of her hysterics. Raybourn, a veteran of high school theatrical productions, is appearing on stage for the first time as an adult.

Island Players commit ‘Death by Design’
Jack consoles Alice as the mystery deepens. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Act I ends with the demise of one of the guests and Act II begins with Bridgit conducting a murder investigation in which everyone is a suspect and some suspect themselves. As the plot thickens, the characters’ selfish pursuits, human frailties and hidden secrets are exposed as the list of potential killers narrows and the tale ultimately reaches its unexpected and theatrically inspirational conclusion.

Tickets for “Death by Design” are $18-$28 and can be purchased online at www.TheIslandPlayers.org. Tickets can be purchased at the theater box office, 10009 Gulf Drive, Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and an hour before show time. For more information, call 941-778-5755.

Opening May 8 and directed by James Thaggard, Tom Ziegler’s Grace & Glorie will conclude the Island Players’ 76th season.

The “Death by Design” cast, joined by director Preston Boyd and his wife and stage director, Priscilla Boyd. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The “Death by Design” cast, joined by director Preston Boyd and his wife and stage director, Priscilla Boyd. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The production crew helps bring “Death by Design” to life. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The production crew helps bring “Death by Design” to life. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Victoria, Alice, Sorel and Jack all have reasons to do away with the now-removed victim. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Victoria, Alice, Sorel and Jack all have reasons to do away with the now-removed victim. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The hired help and the guests don’t always see eye-to-eye. - Joe Hendricks

The hired help and the guests don’t always see eye-to-eye. - Joe Hendricks

Set designer Jan Van Wart and director Preston Boyd in discussion before the March 9 dress rehearsal began. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Set designer Jan Van Wart and director Preston Boyd in discussion before the March 9 dress rehearsal began. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

"Death by Design" runs through Sunday, March 30. - Island Players | Submitted

"Death by Design" runs through Sunday, March 30. - Island Players | Submitted

“Birthday Suite” up next for Island Players

“Birthday Suite” up next for Island Players

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players’ 76th season will soon resume with the performance of British playwright Robin Hawdon’s “Birthday Suite.”

Directed by Island Players veteran Heiko Knipfelberg, “Birthday Suite” tells the tale of “Four hotel guests who, for very different reasons, check into adjoining hotel suites, where an un­locked door and an enthusiastic waiter leads to hilarious mistaken identities and misdirected infatuations.”

“One thing leads to another and this gets pretty crazy. It’s very farcical,” Knipfelberg said, chuckling as he spoke.

The second production of the Island Players’ 2024-25 season opens on Thursday, Jan. 9 and closes on Sun­day, Jan. 26. Tickets are $18-$28 and on sale now at the Island Players website and at the box office, which during the run of performances is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the box office beginning one hour before showtime. The Island Players theater is located at 10009 Gulf Drive in Anna Maria.

The “Birthday Suite” cast features Daniel Coppinger as Tony (an Italian waiter), Eric Johnson as Bob (a civil servant), Pamela Hopkins as Kate (an attractive female), Jeff McMahon as Dick (a psychiatrist) and Sylvia Marnie as Liz (another attractive female).

“Birthday Suite” up next for Island Players
Cast members Eric Johnson, Pamela Hopkins, Jeff McMahon, Daniel Coppinger and Sylvia Marnie performed their dress rehearsal on Jan. 5. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“The play was chosen by our executive director, Sylvia Marnie. She started a campaign, reaching out to the author and convincing him to let us do his play. That’s a feather in her cap,” Knipfelberg said.

“It’s a very difficult play to put on, but we’re having fun putting it together. Timing is essential,” he said, noting separate scenes unfold simultaneously in the two side-by-side hotel rooms.

“You see both things hap­pening, but the dialogue is only happening at one side of the stage, and then it goes on to the other side of the stage,” Knipfelberg said.

Knipfelberg, a Bradenton resident, said the theater building experienced some minor hurricane-related water damage, but nothing too serious. However, the back-to-back hurricanes that struck Anna Maria Island and the Bradenton/Sarasota area may have prevented some actors and actresses from auditioning for the play. The hurricanes also likely contributed to a smaller than usual production crew.

“So many people have so many other things on their minds,” Knipfelberg said.

McMahon, now an Ellenton resident, responded to a Facebook post seeking cast members.

“He was a community theater actor in the northwest and he asked if I still needed somebody. I had him come over to my house to audition. We read half a page and I knew he was the one I needed,” Knipfelberg said.

When describing the direc­tor’s role, Knipfelberg said, “The actors need someone to coordinate their behavior with one another so it all falls into place. The director’s job is to pull it all together so they’re on the same page and working towards the same end in terms of the emotional aspects of the characters and their relation­ship to each other.”

Knipfelberg has directed a play a year at the Island Players for the past 10 years or so, including, “Mouse Trap,” “39 Steps,” “Unexpected Guests,” “Relatively Speaking,” “Play On,” “Murder to Death” and “Regrets Only.”

Rehearsals began about a month ago and community the­ater members receive minimal compensation for their time and efforts.

“It’s a labor of love. Nobody’s going to make a living off this,” Knipfelberg said. “It’s fun. I get a kick out of community theater as an actor and director and I like to see people have fun.”

As for what he hopes the audience takes away from the “Birthday Suite” performances, he said, “I hope they enjoy it. I hope they had a laugh and enjoyed themselves. It’s just a crazy little play. There’s no moral statement to be made here. It’s just a silly play and it’s meant to be laughed at.”

Island Players kick off 76th season with Crimes of the Heart

Island Players kick off 76th season with ‘Crimes of the Heart’

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – Manatee County’s oldest community theater, the Island Players, kicked off its 76th season on Sept. 19 with a production of Beth Henley’s award-winning “Crimes of the Heart,” which runs through Sunday, Sept. 29 at the Island Playhouse, 10009 Gulf Drive.

While the play is a drama, there are ample moments of laughter as the audience is drawn into a family of four sisters who are brought together after one of them commits a criminal act. All the sisters have their own personal issues, and their grandfather (who never appears on stage) is in the hospital, adding drama to their already complicated lives.

Most of the story is learned through the conversation of the sisters, whose life problems cover everything from a failed career, death, love and infidelity to a racial issue. The topic of suicide plays so centrally into the plot that during the introduction of the play, director Mike Lusk gives the audience a telephone number for the suicide hotline to call if they are having personal issues. But the play manages to make the suicide aspect poignant, and even the source of a few laughs.

While not as slapstick or hilarious as many of the Island Players’ productions in the past couple of seasons, there is plenty to love about Crimes of the Heart. Lusk cast the play well, with most of the actors familiar to anyone who is an Island Players’ regular. Even on opening night (first night audiences are most likely to see mistakes by the cast), the performance was nearly flawless and full of genuine emotion, brilliantly acted by a talented veteran cast.

Anna Maria Island is beyond fortunate to have the Island Players, and Crimes of the Heart is another example of why a night at the theater is one of the best options for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the real world.

Last season, the Players sold out most shows and broke attendance records. To avoid missing out, get tickets as soon as possible. Tickets are available at www.theislandplayers.org, at the box office beginning one hour prior to the show or by calling the box office at 941-778-5755.

Island Players catch audiences with ‘The Mousetrap’

Island Players catch audiences with ‘The Mousetrap’

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players are smashing previous attendance records with their newest production, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”

Director Heiko Knipfelberg assembled a talented cast for the production, the longest-running play in history. The crew knew attendance would be good, but selling out every seat for every performance was a surprise.

The Island Players staff found that requests for tickets could not be fulfilled shortly after the beginning of the second week of the run. According to the theater’s box office staff, the combination of a record number of season subscriptions and providing both online and in-person sales resulted in demand beyond availability.

To celebrate its 75th season, the Island Players also host receptions on different nights of each show as a small token of thanks to the many season ticket and single ticket holders who sustain and support the theater. The receptions also provide audience members a meet and greet with some of the many Island Players volunteers who staff these receptions.

The next play will be “Communicating Doors,” a comedy by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Preston Boyd and co-produced by Sato Real Estate. Run dates are March 7-24.

The curtain rises Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.theislandplayers.org. Box office sales will begin on Monday, Feb. 26. Box office hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday and opens for Sunday matinees at 1 p.m. for “will call” tickets only. The box office can be reached at 941-778-5755.

Island Players’ ‘The Mousetrap’ an entertaining whodunit

Island Players’ ‘The Mousetrap’ an entertaining whodunit

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – It’s only fitting that Manatee County’s oldest community theater would continue its historic 75th season with the world’s longest-running play.

Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” is directed by Heiko Knipfelberg and stage-managed by Denise Handley. The play originally began running in London’s West End in 1952 and is the latest offering from the Island Players. Anyone who likes a classic murder mystery will not only enjoy trying to figure out who the killer is but also have plenty of laughs along the way.

Guests arrive in the lobby of Monkswell Manor, a large, renovated guesthouse reopened by Mollie (Sylvia Marnie) and Giles Ralston (Eric Johnson). As a blizzard engulfs the countryside, the house is filled with a clientele that doesn’t lack in strong individual personality as each character is a walking cliche.

Mrs. Boyle (Catherine Penta) is an old fussbudget who is not happy with her accommodations, or anything else for that matter, especially the lack of servants. Mr. Paravicini (Dan Coppinger) is a suspiciously impromptu guest who leans heavily on the fourth wall for his over-the-top rants. Christopher Wren, brilliantly played by director Heiko Knipfelberg, is bouncing off the walls with an enthusiasm to cause trouble. Retired military man Maj. Metcalf (Hugh Scanlon) and Miss Casewell (Kristin Mazzitelli) slink in and out of the background, watching and listening for… something. Not much is known of them and maybe they are not who they appear to be.

The trap is set when they receive word that there is a killer on the loose, a deranged psychopath obsessed with the nursery rhyme, “Three Blind Mice.” Their worst nightmares are confirmed after the grisly murder of one of the guests.

As the snowstorm severs the phone lines, Det. Sgt. Trotter (Colin Brady) bursts in and begins a thorough investigation, confirming everyone’s suspicions that a resident in the guesthouse is the murderer. It’s up to Mollie and Giles to put together the pieces of the puzzle, but after discovering that each harbors a secret of their own, they can’t even trust each other.

Of course, there’s a twist ending, but that won’t be revealed here. Fortunately, “The Mousetrap” runs through Sunday, Jan. 28, with performances Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are available for $28 at the box office or by calling 941-778-5755, or for $30 online at www.theislandplayers.org. The theater is located at 10009 Gulf Drive on the corner of Gulf Drive and Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.

‘Later Life’ all about second chances

‘Later Life’ all about second chances

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players are back with the second production of their historic 75th season. “Later Life” by A.R. Gurney, directed by Preston Boyd, is a romantic comedy about a couple that reunites decades after a brief encounter and gets a second chance at love.

“Gurney wrote this play in 1993 and it is set in 1993,” Boyd said. “The purpose for him to write this story was to explore second chances in relationships. People can relate to the fact that we have one or two in our lives that we let get away.”

The action takes place entirely on the large balcony of a high-rise apartment building in the heart of downtown Boston. We meet the host, Sally, a middle-aged high society woman who brings her friend, Austin (Mark Shoemaker), a well-mannered Bostonian out onto the balcony while she finds her friend Ruth, (Valerie Lipscomb), who is in town visiting from Las Vegas after recently separating from her husband. It’s a set-up and what is quickly apparent is that Ruth has one over on Austin – she remembers a time they met decades earlier and he doesn’t. The encounter happened many years before while he was in the Navy on the Isle of Capri.

Ruth is rather flirtatious towards the divorced Austin, but their attempts at rekindling turn into an evening of interrupted conversation as guests keep coming out onto the balcony, breaking in and disrupting Ruth and Austin’s growing connection.

Although not integral to the core plot, the interrupting guests are the source of plenty of laughs and all are played by the same actors. Daphne Du Frane, whom we first meet as Sally, goes on to play at least half a dozen women, with Joseph Smith performing as all the men. In a series of perfect wigs and costumes, they parade in and out, making it difficult for Ruth and Austin to have their meaningful “get to know you all over again” conversation.

All four actors do a superb job and have a solid understanding of their characters, making this one of the most polished performances in recent Island Players history. “Later Life” is not the traditional comedy that audiences who frequent the Island Playhouse may be used to, but this show is a nice departure from the norm and certainly memorable.

“Later Life” runs through Sunday, Nov. 12, with performances Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are available for $28 at the box office or by calling 941-778-5755, or $30 online at www.theislandplayers.org. The theater is located at 10009 Gulf Drive on the corner of Gulf Drive and Pine Avenue in Anna Maria.

‘Farce of Nature’ begins Players’ 75th season with laughs

‘Farce of Nature’ begins Players’ 75th season with laughs

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Art, Entertainment.

ANNA MARIA – Director Mike Lusk’s talented cast brings plenty of laughs as the Island Players’ first performance of their historic 75th season hits audiences in the funny bone with “Farce of Nature,” the first of five plays in the 2023-24 season.

The story takes place in the Ozarks area of Arkansas. Wanelle Wilburn (Janet Salem) and D. Gene Wilburn (Rick Kopp) are an older couple who run a fishing lodge that usually isn’t filled to capacity. Their grown son, Ty (Jeffery Allen Steiger), is away in Chicago, trying to become an actor, and picked an interesting time to come home.

Ty’s girlfriend, Jenna Sealy (Jennifer Kwiatkowski), lives with them at the “Reel ‘Em Inn.” Wanelle’s sister, Maxie (Laura Morales), an incompetent cop trying to get back in the good graces of her department, lives there too. This week, she’s been put in charge of keeping a witness safe, which will prove more difficult than she bargained for. His name is Carmine DeLuca (Joseph Mammina), and his testimony against a mafia associate named Sonny Barbosa (Michael Sacco) sent him to jail for five years. Maxie decides that the best way to keep Carmine safe is to have him stay at the lodge.

Carmine hates the outdoors and wants nothing more than to get back to Chicago away from trees, wild animals and everything else he hates about “the sticks,” but tries to be a good sport, even when Ty comes home to his parents, followed by both his employer, Lola Barbosa (Sharon Bartley), who runs a Chicago dinner theater, and her dangerous husband, Sonny.

To provide much more information would be a spoiler, but pay close attention to the painting D. Gene gifted his wife, Wanelle; it should be given co-star credit in this story that is well acted by one of the larger casts of any play in recent Island Players history.

“Farce of Nature” begins a bit slow, but quickly evolves into a laugh-a-minute solid comedy that leaves the audience wondering what could possibly happen next. Will they all be killed by wild animals? Everybody is having an affair, or are they? What’s that smell? And where do they keep all that vodka? All are questions that unravel as a talented cast nails a well-written play by Jones, Hope and Wooten.

“Farce of Nature” runs through Sunday, Sept. 24 at the Island Playhouse, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. Tickets are available online for $30 or at the box office for $28. Box office hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Order by phone during box office hours by calling 941-778-5755.

‘The 39 Steps’ is outlandish fun

‘The 39 Steps’ is outlandish fun

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – When hearing that “The 39 Steps” is an early Alfred Hitchcock film from 1935, comedy is probably not the first thing that comes to mind, especially considering the adaptation by Patrick Barlow actually follows the plot of the film fairly closely.

Those facts noted, there is absolutely nothing serious in the Island Players’ production of this hilarious spoof in which four actors play more than 100 characters in a little more than 90 minutes on stage, leaving the audience little time to catch their breath between laughs from a talented veteran cast.

Colin Brady is cool-headed as Richard Hannay, an English gent who, after a visit to the theater, gets swept up by pure chance into a convoluted plot of murder and international espionage. Sylvia Marnie is a mysterious German secret agent, a Scottish farmer’s wife and a stranger on a train who wants nothing to do with Hannay, but becomes ensnared in his plight nonetheless.

Mark Shoemaker and Joseph Smith each play dozens of roles without missing a beat. To accomplish this feat, there are a lot of quick costume changes, many of which take place during the action in front of the audience. To do it any other way would not accomplish what is at the core of “The 39 Steps,” being 180 degrees opposite of what community theater audiences are used to seeing.

At the beginning of the play, director Heiko Knipfelberg warns the audience that there will be special effects including gunshots, strobe lights and dense fog, which all add to the fun, but are not the norm for the Island Players.

Fans of Hitchcock should make sure to keep an eye out for references to many of his other films. Some are subtle, while others are more “in your face” references. It’s all part of the extremely fast-paced fun.

The only thing audiences may have a difficult time keeping up with is the actual plot, but it doesn’t matter, it’s supposed to be that way. Even the protagonist seems lost about what’s going on at times. The laughs come from the journey, which proves the old adage that getting there is often more fun than the destination.

“The 39 Steps’” runs through Sunday, March 26, with daily performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays. Tickets are $25 at the box office and $27 online. The box office is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and can be reached by phone at 941-778-5755 or online.

Island Players present ‘The 39 Steps’

Island Players present ‘The 39 Steps’

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – Coming off a hilarious run of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple, The Female Version,” the Island Players are ready to take the audience for a ride across England and Scotland to stop an international gang of spies, with four actors playing more than 150 characters in a comedic adaptation of the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, “The 39 Steps.”

Director Heiko Knipfelberg promises that audiences will see things they aren’t used to seeing at an Island Players production, including special lighting and sound effects and non-stop action. When asked to describe how an Alfred Hitchcock film could become a zany comedy, Knipfelberg offered this quote from The New York Times to sum it up: “Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel and a dash of Monty Python, and you have ‘The 39 Steps.’ ”

The play is adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan, but the Hitchcock film is at its core.

“The authors of the play included most of the film, almost verbatim in a stage production,” Knipfelberg said. “They’ve taken license in certain areas, certainly in the way they’ve used the characters. We have a female lead who plays three characters and a male lead who plays himself throughout the whole play, but then we have two clowns who play about 60 characters each. Unlike Hitchcock’s version, this is very much a comedy.”

“The 39 Steps” runs from Thursday, March 9 through Sunday, March 26, with daily performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays. Tickets are $25 at the box office and $27 online. The box office is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and can be reached by phone at 941-778-5755 or online.

Island Players bring the laughs

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – A New York apartment is the setting for a familiar, albeit slightly skewed view of some of Neil Simon’s most beloved characters to bring the laughs. In the late 1960s, Simon introduced audiences to Oscar and Felix, who would be featured in film, television and even a cartoon. As beloved as the Odd Couple was, in the mid-1980s he decided he had one more iteration of the story under his belt when he wrote “The Odd Couple, The Female Version.”

So Felix Unger, whose marriage has imploded, becomes Florence Unger, a neat-freak housewife and mother whose husband leaves her. Oscar Madison, the sports writer, becomes Olive Madison, a sloppy TV news producer who is constantly giving money to her broke ex-husband. While the original Oscar and Felix enjoyed poker nights, the ladies get together every Friday for a game of Trivial Pursuit, which in itself harkens back to the time the play was written, and the questions in the game date the play accurately as well. Although the play is the most modern version, it’s old enough to bring relevant laughs to anyone middle-aged and beyond.

The jokes begin shortly after the curtain opens and don’t stop until the final seconds of the play. Director Preston Boyd brilliantly cast this production with actors who seem to truly get the core of their characters. In a rare casting decision, Boyd actually decided on two leading ladies to play Olive Madison. The night The Sun attended the play, Leona Collesano played Olive, but she will be sharing nights with Players veteran, Laura Morales, who will be familiar to anyone who has attended plays at the theater in recent years.

“I chose to double cast the role of Olive,” Boyd said. “Every two or three performances we switch Olives. Normally when I look at auditions, I see somebody who is just right for the part, but rarely will I see two people who are right for the part. In these auditions, I saw Laura Morales and knew I had my Olive, but then I see Leona Collesano and in both of them I saw what I wanted for that part. I thought, why not double cast.”

Boyd assembled a solid supporting cast, as well. As the often-clueless Vera, Cathy Hansel-Edgerton lands solid punchline after solid punchline. Jean Walther as Sylvie is also quite funny. And Mike DeMaio as Manolo Constazuela and Anuj Naidu as his brother, Jesus, nearly steal Act II delivering laughs that last so long the cast had to pause a few times to allow the crowd cackling to dissipate.

“The Odd Couple, The Female Version,” co-produced by The Offstage Ladies, runs through Jan. 29. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with a matinee performance Sundays at 2 p.m. Contact the box office Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 941-778-5755 or visit the theater website to purchase tickets.

Island Players score another hit

Island Players score another hit

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – For many, the name Neil Simon brings to mind “The Odd Couple” or “Barefoot in the Park,” which are all about the big laughs. Simon’s “I Ought to be in Pictures” – the latest production by the Island Players – is a bit more subdued, even offering moments that brought tears to the eyes of audience members, but rest assured, the laughs are still there.

The story focuses on a completely unmotivated Herb Tucker (Mark Shoemaker), a Hollywood screenwriter who can’t commit to his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Steffy Blondell (Diana Shoemaker), can’t get anything written and doesn’t take the best care of his Hollywood bungalow. Having left his wife and two children 16 years before the story takes place, the last thing Herb was expecting was to have his estranged daughter, Libby (Tahlia Chinault), show up at his front door, but that’s exactly what happens. The only thing Herb seems to be able to do with any modicum of success is care for his orange tree and his beloved lemon tree in his yard; that will soon change.

Libby arrives, saying she wants to be a Hollywood actress, despite her only acting role being an understudy for a minor character in a high school play. She believes her father owes her some connections since he’s “in the business.” As they begin to connect, there are plenty of laughs, and Chinault absolutely nails the role of Libby. While every actor delivered a solid performance, she was without question the star of the show with a near-flawless performance. 

As the story develops, director Kelly Wynn Woodland does a great job of making the characters relatable, peeling back the layers of the onion that are the relationships among the three characters. The true motivation of Libby becomes apparent in the second act, and there are moments that are among the most emotional in recent Island Players memory. 

“I Ought to be in Pictures” runs through Sunday, Nov. 13, with shows Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available at the box office Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or by calling 941-778-5755 during box office hours. Visit the theater website for more information.

Island Players take on Neil Simon

Island Players take on Neil Simon

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players 2022- 23 season kicked off Sept. 15 with a solid production of James Yaffe’s “Cliffhanger,” and they look to keep the momentum going with the next play.

Neil Simon’s “I Ought to be in Pictures,” directed by Kelly Wynn Woodland and starring Mark Shoemaker, Tahlia Chinault and Diana Shoemaker debuts Friday, Nov. 4 at the Island Playhouse in Anna Maria.

“Unlike some Neil Simon plays, this is much more character-centered, and kind of quietly and sweetly emotional,” Wynn Woodland said. “It features a lot of what you’d expect from a Neil Simon play with comedy and characters.”

The play is the story of Libby Tucker, who travels across the country from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in the hope of starting a film career with the help of her estranged father, whom she hasn’t seen in more than a decade, but who is in the movie business. However, her father, Herb Tucker, has a case of writer’s block and is dealing with plenty of problems of his own, including with his relationship with his girlfriend, Steffy.

This is the second of five plays the Island Players will present in the 2022-23 season and will run from Nov. 4-14 at the Island Players theater.

Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased by calling 941-778-5755 or visiting the box office located at the theater at 10009 Gulf Drive, which opens 10 days prior to the start of each production and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.islandplayers.org.

Players’ season opener a cliffhanger

Players’ season opener a cliffhanger

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – Philosophical boundaries are a constant struggle for a philosophy professor who thinks he knows the obvious difference between right and wrong in Cliffhanger, the Island Players’ season opener.

Rick Kopp is a convincing Professor Henry Lowenthal, whose hero is Socrates, a source of inspiration for him, and a key player in how the plot unfolds. The professor’s wavering moral compass draws laughs from an audience that never knows what he’ll do next.

The professor’s wife, Polly, played by Cathy Hansel-Edgerton, also brings plenty of laughs as she is all about solving the problems at hand with little regard to what Socrates may think of her. Polly simply wants to keep her husband out of jail and their long-term relationship intact regardless of what direction her moral compass may be pointing. Her character is essential to how the plot unfolds, and this Island Players veteran gets the job done.

A visit from rival colleague Edith Wilshire, played by Sue Belvo – who nails her small but important role – unleashes a series of events that challenges the professor to rethink his lifelong ethical ideals, which he not only works hard to impress upon his students but exercise in his own personal life.

The story hinges on a not-so-slightly obnoxious spoiled rich kid, Melvin, played by Colin Brady, who is over the top, and written to be purposely annoying. Brady does an excellent job delivering every line convincingly, but his desire to get a failing grade changed by the professor makes him a constant source of moral struggle for the Lowenthals, who will do anything to make him go away while simultaneously dealing with a local police detective played by Island Players newcomer, Sam DiGiammarino.

Director Mike Lusk does a great job pulling the comedic moments out of his characters in a play that is not strictly a comedy. Stage manager Jeanne Walther and the entire crew do an equally good job of setting the scene and bringing the audience into the show. Lusk went onstage before the Sept. 16 show and dedicated the performance to Jack Abene, who had been the backstage manager and an integral part of the Island Players for more than 25 years. Jack passed away at the age of 91 the morning of the performance.

Cliffhanger runs through Sept. 25, followed by I Ought to be in Pictures (Nov. 3-13), The Odd Couple (Jan. 12-29), The 39 Steps (March 9-26) and How the Other Half Loves (May 4-14). Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the box office at 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria or by calling 941-778-5755. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Island Players wrap season with hilarious whodunnit

Island Players wrap season with hilarious whodunnit

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players wrap up their 73rd season Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. with the final performance of their fifth play of the season, Sam Bobrick’s “The Psychic.”

Directed by James Thaggard and stage-managed by Denise Handley, this hilarious whodunnit keeps the audience laughing out loud, while at the same time trying to figure out who is killing off characters one by one.

A drab basement apartment in New York is home to struggling mystery writer Adam Webster (William Ashburn), who tries to pass himself off as a psychic for some quick cash. But when Adam issues a surprisingly genuine prediction to his beautiful first customer, Laura Benson (Jennifer Kwiatkowski), a string of inquisitive characters soon start showing up at his door, including Laura’s larcenous husband, Roy (Rick Kopp), Roy’s sex-obsessed mistress, Rita (Jennifer Caldwell), Rita’s mobster lover, Johnny Bubbles (Michael Sacco) and cultivated homicide detective Norris Coslow (Mark Shoemaker), all of whom factor into the evolving murder mystery that becomes Adam’s life. 

Island Players wrap season with hilarious whodunnit
The cast of ‘The Psychic’ takes a bow at a performance at the Island Playhouse in Anna Maria. – Jason Schaffer | Sun

“This is my 20th production as a director for The Island Players and I have performed in 25 plays here; I love this theater,” said director James Thaggard, who does a great job of keeping the audience guessing who the killer is while dropping subtle clues throughout the production. The fact that only one character changes costumes throughout the entire play is a hint to the final plot twist that is not easy to spot before the big reveal. 

Before the start of the final performance of the season, Thaggard announced the five plays that will make up the 74th season, which will begin Sept. 15 and run through May 14, 2023. They are: 

  • Cliffhanger by James Yaffe (directed by Mike Lusk), Sept. 15-25
  • I Ought to be in Pictures by Neil Simon (directed by Kelly Wynn Woodland), Nov. 3-13
  • The Odd Couple (female version) by Neil Simon (directed by Preston Boyd), Jan. 12-29, 2023
  • The 39 Steps by Patrick Harlow (directed by Heiko Knipfelberg), March 9-26, 2023
  • How the Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn (directed by James Thaggard), May 4-14, 2023

For box office information, audition dates and times and any other Island Players information, visit www.theislandplayers.org.

The Island Players thanks everyone who has volunteered their time behind the scenes, and all of the support from sponsors who make everything possible.