What’s on stage the week of October 28th

With election season winding down, decisions made and early voting in full swing, people throughout Southwest Florida are looking for entertainment options away from all the political ads. Here’s what’s playing, alphabetically, at community and equity theaters from Naples to Sarasota:

• “Almost Maine” at The Naples Players in Naples;
• “Anything Goes” at Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples;
• “Barefoot in the Park” and “Chicago” at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre;
• “Beauty and the Beast” at The Belle Theatre in Cape Coral;
• “Bedroom Farce” at Players Circle Theater in Fort Myers;
• “Ben Butler” at Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers;
• “Carrie the Musical” at Cultural Park Theatre;
• “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” at the Laboratory Theater of Florida in Fort Myers;
• “Jennifer, Who Is Leaving” at Urbanite Theatre in Sarasota;
• “9 to 5” at Venice Theater; and
• “Soul Crooners” at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota.

MORE INFORMATION:

“Almost, Maine” [The Naples Players]: In the course of a single cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine, find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend—almost—in this delightful midwinter night’s dream. Listen to more about this production on WGCU. All remaining performances are sold out.

“Anything Goes” [Gulfshore Playhouse]:  Billy instantly falls in love with a beautiful girl he meets in a taxi. When he discovers she’s boarding the SS American, the same London-bound ship his boss and co-worker Reno are boarding, he sneaks aboard himself. The beautiful girl, Hope, is engaged to a stuffy British aristocrat, Lord Evelyn, but that doesn’t stop the love-struck Billy. With the help of other passengers, Billy seeks to shake Reno, whose love he doesn’t return, and capture the heart of the girl of his dreams – all without hurting anyone’s feelings. The magical score by Cole Porter includes It’s De-Lovely, You’re the Top, I Get a Kick Out of You, Easy to Love and the title song, Anything Goes. Performances are Tuesday, 10/29 at 7:30; Wednesday, 10/30 at 7:30; Thursday, 10/31 at 7:30, no show on Friday, Saturday, 11/2 at 2:00 and 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 3:00 p.m.

“Barefoot in the Park” [Off Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre]: Newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter are over the moon to begin their life together in their new apartment in Manhattan in this Cole Porter romantic comedy. It may be small and a six-flight climb, the heating may be busted and snow may be falling through the skylight, but nothing can quash their newlywed bliss. Paul is a straight-laced lawyer and Corie a romantic free-spirit; nevertheless, opposites attract and the two are wild about each other. Corie decides to set her conservative widowed mother up with their eccentric, bohemian neighbor. A wild night ensues, one that highlights just how different Corie and Paul are. The young couple must learn how to accept and embrace their differences as they learn that marriage is no easy walk in the park. Performances are Wednesday, 10/30 at 1:00 and 7:30, Thursday, 10/31 at 7:30, Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 1:00 and 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 7:00 p.m. [Lunch is available beginning at 11:30 a.m. for 1:00 p.m. shows; dinner is available beginning at 5:30 p.m. for evening performances.]

“Beauty & the Beast” [The Belle Theatre]:  This musical fantasy with music and lyrics by Alan Menken, Tim Rice & Howard Ashman revolves around a girl who attempts to rescue her father after he  is imprisoned in a mysterious castle only to be captured herself by a prince who, in turn, has been trapped by an enchantress’ spell in the form of a grisly and fearsome monster.  The only way for the Beast to become human once again is if he learns to love and be loved in return. Performances are Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 2:00 and 7:30, and Sunday, 11/3 at 7:30 p.m.

“Bedroom Farce” [Players Circle Theater]:  This wickedly funny play by Alan Ayckbourn about marriage takes place in three bedrooms. On one endless night, Trevor & Susannah, whose marriage is on the rocks, inflict their miseries on their nearest and dearest, including Trevor’s parents. Performances are Wednesday, 10/30 at 7:30, Thursday, 10/31 at 7:30, Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 3:00 and 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 3:00 p.m.

“Ben Butler” [Florida Repertory Theatre]:  When a runaway slave arrives at Fort Monroe demanding sanctuary, he forces the newly installed (and unconventional) General Benjamin Butler to face an impossible moral dilemma: follow the law or alter the course of U.S. history. Part satire, part comedy of manners, this laugh-out-loud “battle of wits” tells the true story of how a legal loophole helped win the Civil War. Inspired by true events, “Ben Butler” is a smartly-written, situational comedy packed with surprising humor and wit that pokes fun at the societal norms of the day. Performances are Tuesday, 10/29 at 7:00, Wednesday, 10/30 at 2:00, Thursday, 10/31 at 7:00, Friday, 11/1 at 2:00, Saturday, 11/2 at 2:00 and 7:00 and Sunday, 11/3 at 2:00 p.m.

“Carrie: The Musical” [Cultural Park Theater]:  In this theatrical adaptation of the Stephen King novel and iconic film starring Cissy Spacek, high school coed Carrie White is bullied by the popular crowd and virtually invisible to everyone else. What no one knows is that she has special powers, and no one will like her for real if they make her angry. With book by Lawrence D. Cohen, music by Academy Award winner Michael Gore (“Fame,” “Terms of Endearment”) and lyrics by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford (“Fame,” “Footloose”) the 2012 Off Broadway revival received multiple award nominations and the Best Off-Broadway Musical award from the Off-Broadway Alliance. Listen to a preview of this show on WGCU. Performances are Friday, 11/1 at 7:00, Saturday, 11/2 at 7:00 and Sunday, 11/3 at 3:00 p.m.

“Chicago” [Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre]: Set in the legendary city during the “jazz hot” roaring 20s, “Chicago” tells the story of two sensational murderesses. Velma Kelly is the reigning queen of the Cook County Jail. Roxie Hart is an aspiring vaudeville headliner who lands in the clink for murdering her feckless extramarital lover. Both of these scintillating sinners enlist the help of the same lawyer – the charismatic Billy Flynn. To win the girls’ freedom, Flynn foments a media frenzy. In the process, these femme fatales are catapulted to showbiz stardom with each vying for top billing. But Roxie’s got some of her own tricks up her sleeve …. Listen to Will Prather talk about taking his production of “Chicago” national on WGCU. Performances are Wednesday, 10/30 at 1:00 and 7:30, Thursday, 10/31 at 7:30, Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 1:00 and 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 7:00 p.m. [Lunch is available beginning at 11:30 a.m. for 1:00 p.m. shows; dinner is available beginning at 5:30 p.m. for evening performances.]

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” [Laboratory Theater of Florida]: Nobody’s ever seen a Dracula this funny. Five actors play dozens of zany characters in a madcap take on the classic tale guaranteed to induce blood-curdling screams – of laughter! Performances are Thursday, 10/31 at 7:30, Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 2:00 p.m.

“Jennifer, Who Is Leaving” [Urbanite Theatre]: Set in a lonely Dunkin Donuts alongside a Massachusetts highway outside Boston, this Morgan Gould dark comedy poignantly captures the demands placed on women, who are often thrust into the role of caregiver – like it or not. The play features just four characters: Nan, who is working the night shift and fielding frequent calls from her husband, who needs help finding…everything; Jennifer, who is doing her best to ignore Joey, the aging patient wearing down her…patience; and Lili, who is overwhelmed by the looming pressure of the SATs and her father’s insistence that she go to work the night before the test. Listen to a preview of his show on WGCU. Performances are Wednesday, 10/30 at 2:00 & 7:30, Thursday, 10/31 at 7:30, Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 2:00 p.m.

“9 to 5” [Venice Theatre]: Based on the 1980 movie of the same name, “9 to 5” features music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. Set in the late 1970s, the play centers on the working lives of three women, Violet, Judy, and Doralee, who all work at Consolidated Industries, presided over by the sexist, lecherous, and pompous, Franklin Hart. Pushed to the boiling point, the three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with their boss12. Performances are Tuesday, 10/29 at 7:30, Wednesday, 10/30 at 7:30, Thursday, 10/31 at 7:30, Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 2:00 p.m.

“Soul Crooners” [Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe]: This jukebox musical revue is a celebration of the music that ushered in a new era of soul during the 1970s and which was known for combining lush orchestrations with great vocalists who could sing unforgettable melodies and delightful harmonies. Created, adapted and directed by WBTT Executive Director Nate Jacos, “Soul Crooners” made its debut on a rental stage at the Sarasota Arts Center in 2009 and is being brought back now to help commemorate WBTT’s 25^th anniversary season. Performances are Tuesday, 10/29 at 7:30, Wednesday, 10/30 at 7:30, Thursday, 10/31at 7:30, Friday, 11/1 at 7:30, Saturday, 11/2 at 2:00 and 7:30 and Sunday, 11/3 at 2:00 p.m.