Review: BURN THIS by The Studio Players

BURN THIS by The Studio Players deals with the aftermath of a major death in the characters' lives, resulting in an emotional and bittersweet story of loss and love.

Kevin Hendricks plays Pale, the brother of Robbie (who died right before the beginning of the play), and I enjoyed the dynamic he brought to the story. Hendricks was fantastic at allowing the audience to see the different layers of Pale's personality as he began to reveal his emotions and more about his life to Anna (Karen Anglin). Pale and Anna were reluctant to connect to each other, especially when Pale found out about Anna's boyfriend, Burton (Marshall Prater), but the pull they felt for one another was evident. I also appreciated seeing Anglin's Anna evolve as she learns how to cope with the loss of Robbie.

Steven Kennedy plays Larry, and he was absolutely hilarious. He had the audience laughing many times throughout the show, from comments he would make to simply some looks he would give. He was most definitely one of the highlights of this production.

The Studio Players offers a more unique and intimate theatre experience, as it is located inside the Golden Gate Community Center. I absolutely recommend checking out a show here in the near future if you're looking for something fun and different to do in the Naples area. (Also, they have popcorn.)

BURN THIS is playing now through February 3. All performances take place at the Joan Jenks Auditorium, located in the Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples, Florida, 34116. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit thestudioplayers.org or call (239) 398-9192.