BWW's Jeff Davis to Make Directorial Debut With SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS, Runs 6/19-28

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks is a touching and human comedy about a formidable retired woman, Lily Harrison, who hires an acerbic dance instructor, Michael Minetti, to give her private dance lessons -one per week for six weeks- in her gulf-front condo in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida. What begins as an antagonistic relationship blossoms into an intimate friendship as these two people from very different backgrounds reveal their secrets, fears, and joys while dancing the Swing, Tango, Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha-Cha, and Contemporary Dance. Michael and Lily learn to overcome their outward differences and discover an unlikely but profound connection. By the final lesson, Lily shares with Michael her most closely guarded secret and he shares with her his greatest gifts, his loyalty and compassion. A comedy with music and dance, the play also addresses the serious issues of ageism and intolerance.

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks stars real-life friends and founding members of Agape Actors Co-Op Joan Baker (A Trip to Bountiful) as Lily Olin Meadows as Michael. The play is directed by BroadwayWorld-Austin's Jeff Davis who will make his full-length directorial debut with this production. The production will feature Scenic Design by Olin Meadows and Lori Mann and Lighting by Lori Mann. The remainder of the cast and creative team will be announced at a later date.

Joan Baker, who recently stared as Carrie Watts in the Agape Actors Co-Op Inaugural production The Trip To Bountiful, recently shared "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks is a wonderful, touching, heart-warming story. Over the years I have found my favorite roles to be about real people with real struggles. You will laugh, you may shed a tear, but you won't easily forget Lily and Michael." Artistic Director and Actor Olin Meadows says he chose Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks because it is "a story for everyone in every stage of life. You should never discount someone's ability to change your life for the positive." Both Baker and Meadows are so thrilled to share the story of Lily and Michael, a story which mirrors their own strong friendship in many ways. Both are founding members of Agape Actors Co-Op.

For director Jeff Davis, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks is a dream project. "If there ever was a living, breathing personification of the 'but I really want to do is direct' cliché, it would be me," says Davis. "I went to school to study theater directing, but somehow I fell into a traditional corporate career with some theater journalism work through BroadwayWorld on the side. I've always wanted to get back into directing, so I'm thrilled that I'm directing again, and making my full length debut no less, with this show and with these two actors. It's a huge honor to bring this story to life, and the way it mirrors the story of Olin and Joan's offstage friendship is so unique. This is an opportunity I just couldn't pass up."

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks premiered in Los Angeles in 2001 with stars David Hyde Pierce and Uta Hagen. It then opened on Broadway in 2003, starring Mark Hamill and Polly Bergen. Since its Los Angeles premiere and Broadway opening, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks has been translated into 12 languages and has traversed the globe with productions in over 20 countries. With over 50 productions and two national tours in Germany alone, the play has established itself as an international hit and one of the most produced plays in the world.

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks will run June 19th - 28th at the Eastview High School Black Box Theatre. Performances are Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm. Tickets are 20.00 for General Admission and 15.00 for Students and Seniors. To purchase, visit http://agapeactors.wordpress.com/buy-tickets or call 512-468-0610.

.Agape Actors Co-op exists to produce living breathing theatre that features Christian ethics of respect, generosity, love, and mutual support while challenging the mind, body, and spirit. Showing that we form a community whose complex, diverse, and sometimes provocative discussions of faith and love enrich the art we produce, to show a message that God's love extends to all people regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic status, origin, religion, or species.

To post a comment, you must register and login.