The Naples Players Announce 2019-2020 Season; SHE LOVES ME, CALENDAR GIRLS, and More

Kicking off their 66th theatre season, The Naples Players (TNP) announce the 2019-2020 theatre season. The upcoming season reaffirms The Naples Players' dedication to providing a superior theatre experience for the community with an exciting combination of Tony Award-winning plays and musicals as well as popular beloved classics and exhilarating new works. "It's a season about strength and sacrifice" said Bryce Alexander, TNP's Executive Artistic Director. "It's about the sacrifices we make for love, and the strength that comes from finding our community."

The Naples Players 2019-2020 Season

MAMMA MIA! (June 26 - July 28, 2019) - Blackburn Hall
Over 60 million people worldwide have fallen in love with the characters, the story, and the music that make Mamma Mia! the ultimate feel-good show! ABBA's hits tell the hilarious story of a young woman's search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. The story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, creating an unforgettable show.

The Great Gatsby (October 2 - October 27, 2019) - Blackburn Hall
The breathtaking glamour and decadent excess of the Jazz Age come to the stage in this exciting contemporary adaptation of the beloved classic by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan while Nick Carraway, a young newcomer to Long Island, is drawn into Gatsby's world of obsession, greed, and danger. Experience the "Roaring Twenties" through the beautiful lens of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Escanaba in Da Moonlight (October 23 - November 17, 2019) - Tobye Studio Theatre
Written by Tony Award and Oscar-nominated actor Jeff Daniels, this zany Comedy follows the Soady family tale of opening day of deer season at the family's Upper Peninsula camp. Thirty-five-year-old Reuben Soady brings with him the infamous reputation of being the oldest Soady in the history of the Soadys never to bag a buck. In a hunting story to beat all hunting stories, Escanaba in da Moonlight spins a hilarious tale of humor, horror, and heart as Reuben goes to any and all lengths to remove himself from the wrong end of the family record book.

She Loves Me (November 27 - December 22, 2019) - Blackburn Hall
Regarded by many as "The Perfect Christmas Love Story," and with a melodic and witty score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) and a wonderful book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret), She Loves Me is based on a play by Miklos Laszlo that also became the basis of the classic film "The Shop Around the Corner" and more recently "You've Got Mail." The story follows Amalia and Georg, two feuding clerks in a European parfumerie during the 1930s who secretly find solace in their anonymous romantic pen pals, little knowing that their respective correspondents are actually each other! Winner of multiple Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards, Laurence Olivier Awards, and Critics Circle Awards, this is the perfect performance to usher-in the Holiday Season!

Making God Laugh (January 15 - February 9, 2019) - Blackburn Hall
As Woody Allen once said, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans..." Making God Laugh follows one typical American family over the course of thirty years' worth of holidays. Starting in 1980, Ruthie and Bill's grown children -- a priest, an aspiring actress, and a former football star -- all return home, where we learn of their plans and dreams as they embark on their adult lives. The empty-nester parents contend with their own changes, too, as old family rituals are trotted out and ancient tensions flare up. As time passes, the family discovers that, despite what we may have in mind, we often arrive at unexpected destinations. Written by Sean Grennan, this nostalgic family play is meaningful, poignant, funny and heartwarming.

Silent Sky (February 5 - March 1, 2019) - Tobye Studio Theatre
The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman's place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women's ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Inspiring and touching, the story follows Henrietta as she begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s but isn't allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women "computers," charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in "girl hours" and has no time for the women's probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love.

Bye Bye Birdie (March 4 -April 5, 2019) - Blackburn Hall
The Classic Musical Comedy beloved by every generation. Winning four Tony Awards in 1961, this high-energy show continues to delight audiences around the world. Teen musician, Conrad Birdie is drafted and selects Kim MacAfee for a very public farewell kiss in the ultimate publicity stunt and spectacle. Hit songs from this legendary musical include "Put on a Happy Face", "One Last Kiss", and "One Boy." In 1960s America, teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie is all the rage!

Becky's New Car (April 1 - 26, 2019) -Tobye Studio Theatre
Have you ever been tempted to flee your own life? Becky Foster is caught in middle age, middle management and in a middling marriage-with no prospects for change on the horizon. Then one night a socially inept and grief-struck millionaire stumbles into the car dealership where Becky works. Becky is offered nothing short of a new life...and the audience is offered a chance to ride shotgun in a way that most plays wouldn't dare. Becky's New Car is a thoroughly original comedy with serious overtones, a devious and delightful romp down the road not taken.

Calendar Girls (April 29 - May 24, 2019) - Blackburn Hall
With a script by Tim Firth who also co-wrote the movie, this comedy will make you laugh, cry, and feeling better about life. Based on a true story, a group of middle-aged girlfriends in Yorkshire, England, band together in a creative venture to raise money after Annie's husband John suddenly passes away from Cancer. At first skeptical, the friends decide to pose in a nude calendar, a racy move for a small English village, to fundraise for Leukemia Research under the auspices of the Women's Institute. The calendar takes the town by storm, raises money, eyebrows, and piques the press' interest into an international sensation beyond their wildest dreams.

The Naples Players 2019-2020 Season Subscription sales begin Monday, March 6, 2019; but renewals are now available. TNP Season Ticket Subscriber benefits include reserved seating to our popular Tobye Studio Exclusive shows, Blackburn Hall shows, free valet parking, special subscriber discounts at partner restaurants on 5th Avenue South, and access to the VIP Lobby Signature Lounge. Season Ticket Holders can continue to purchase unlimited tickets throughout the year for friends, family, or colleagues at the special $35 Season Ticket Holder rate. Additional subscriber perks include: first choice seating, free ticket exchanges, and ticket forwarding. The Naples Players Season Ticket Subscription Packages include: Premier Subscription Package - $315, enjoy all 9 of the season's shows for a savings of $60, which includes all of The Naples Player's Blackburn Hall and Tobye Studio show season. This subscription level also guarantees the same seating. Preferred Subscription Package - $175, includes all 5 Blackburn Hall shows for a savings of $40. A perfect package for seasonal residents who enjoy the classics and musical productions Blackburn Hall is known for. This subscription level also guarantees the same seating. Flex Subscription Package - $105, enjoy any 3 Tobye Studio Theatre or Blackburn Hall shows for a savings of $30. The Naples Player's Flex Subscription is the perfect package for busy residents and visitors, that offers the flexibility to select any three shows with the option to add on additional productions. Individual tickets go on-sale on September 4th, 2019.

The Naples Players (TNP) Sugden Community Theatre is Naples' oldest and premier theatre group and a vital part of the exciting experience of Downtown Naples. Celebrating its 66th season, and as one of the top theatres in the country, they offer a variety of plays and musicals in three intimate spaces, Blackburn Hall, the Tobye Studio Theatre and outside Baker Stage - all located in one building on Fifth Avenue South. The KidzAct program, Southwest Florida's premier youth theatre program offers a performing arts education wing, offers top quality productions as well as in-depth skills classes for children. Adult education classes are offered throughout the year for skilled professionals to first-time performers. Readers Theatre offers an opportunity to hear new works as well as rare one acts and classics and is entirely volunteer run.

The Naples Players continually seeks to enrich, educate, and entertain the community through a superior theatre experience. TNP is inspiring passion for the performing arts through life-long opportunities to participate in vibrant theatrical experiences. The 65th Anniversary Season, generously sponsored by Tanya & Denny Glass, is filled with dazzling musicals, alongside heartfelt comedies, magical adventures, and world premiere plays. ?

To post a comment, you must register and login.