Photo Flash: Buck Creek Players' Souvenir

The Buck Creek Players, Indianapolis' award-winning all-volunteer community theater on the southeast side of Marion County, will continue their 38th season with the hilarious and fun production of Stephen Temperley's Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins Opening on Friday, January 6, and running for only two weekends through Sunday, January 15, curtain times will be at 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with 2:30 p.m. matinees offered on Sundays. All performances will be held at the Buck Creek Playhouse on Indianapolis' southeast side at 11150 Southeastern Avenue. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for students and senior citizens (ages 62 & older) and can be reserved online at buckcreekplayers.com, or by calling (317) 862-2270. Group discounts are also available for prepaid parties of ten or more.

Beethoven lost his hearing and went completely deaf; yet, he composed some of the world's greatest music. Philadelphia socialite Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) was born tone-deaf, unable to discriminate between different musical notes or reproduce them accurately with her voice. However, she loved classical music and wanted to share the best arias of "Mr. Verdi" and "Mr. Mozart," first with her friends, and later with an ever-growing number of people. Her fame -- or notoriety -- not only filled Carnegie Hall during WWII, but over 2000 people were left standing outside, unable to get tickets for an event that sold out quicker than any other concert in that venue's history.

The real Florence Foster Jenkins
She apparently did not realize that the reason for her success was not the beauty of her voice or the elegance of her many outfits -- a new one for each song -- but her missing and mangling every single note by between a quarter or a half a tone, mistakes which had the audiences shrieking with laughter and sometimes running out of the hall. She interpreted the handkerchiefs held in front of the spectators' faces as proof that she had moved them to tears, not realizing that they were instead coveringtheir mouths, gaping open with laughter.

Inspired by the real-life collaboration between Jenkins (played by Cathy Tolzmann) and her accompanist, pianist Cosme McMoon (played by Kevin D. Smith), this is the hilarious and endearing story about the true meaning of music, the art of performing, and unlikely friendships. 

"It's wonderful to start off the new year on such a high note," remarks Director D. Scott Robinson. "Souvenir is such a touching story about how two complete strangers can embark on a quite remarkable journey. Souvenir gives us the chance to laugh at the way we judge ourselves and the way we judge others."

Having directed BCP's award-winning productions of Lizzie Borden: The Musical, Side Show, Violet, The Spitfire Grill, and The Brain from Planet X, D. Scott Robinson makes his directorial return to the playhouse after most recently directing last season's Frankenstein: A New Musical and Annie: The BCP Play-A-Part Fundraiser. Joining Robinson on the production team are Aaron B. Bailey (Producer/Set Designer/Technical Director), Donna Jacobi (Costumer), Donald Stikeleather (Lighting Designer), and Lyndsay Gilman (Assistant Director/Stage Manager). Robinson also designs sound for the production.

For more information or directions to the playhouse, please visit the theater's website at www.buckcreekplayers.com.

Cathy Tolzmann and Kevin D. Smith

Cathy Tolzmann

Cathy Tolzmann and Kevin D. Smith

Cathy Tolzmann and Kevin D. Smith

Kevin D. Smith and Cathy Tolzmann