American Heartland Theatre Presents THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB 5/7-6/27

American Heartland Theatre presents the Kansas City Premiere of The Dixie Swim Club, May 7th through June 27th, 2010. Five Southern women, who were swimming teammates in college, reunite each year at the same beach cottage in North Carolina. Free from men, children, and jobs, they laugh, catch-up, and meddle in each other's lives. As their lives unfold and the years pass, these women increasingly rely on one another, through advice and raucous repartee, to get through the challenges (men, sex, marriage, parenting, divorce, and aging) that life flings at them. The Dixie Swim Club, written by prolific Southern playwrights, Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, is the newest "girl-friend" show to sweep the nation, playing in more than 45 theatres this spring alone. "This play is easily the hottest show in the country right now," proclaims the Danville News.

American Heartland Theatre brings this hilarious and touching comedy about friendships that last forever to life with five great women of Kansas City theatre. Cathy Barnett (Sheree Hollinger) appeared at AHT in last season's Are We There Yet? and most recently appeared in the Unicorn Theatre's production of the musical Grey Gardens. Cathy has toured nationally and internationally in both Forbidden Broadway and Forbidden Hollywood. She has also traveled across the nation as Louise in Always, Patsy Cline. She has entertained as a stand-up comedienne in New York, appearing at Caroline's and the West Bank Cafe. Cathy also portrays the Hallmark greeting card character, "Maxine," and can give you directions to anywhere you want to go as a voice on the Garmin GPS Navigation Systems. Debra Bluford (Vernadette Simms) returns to the AHT stage for the second time this season, having starred as Florence Foster Jenkins in AHT's recent hit comedy Glorious, as well as many other Heartland shows including: Leaving Iowa, Menopause: The Musical, Sanders Family Christmas, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Odd Couple, Radio Gals and Sugar Babies to name a few. Deb is the recipient of several Best of Theatre Awards and KC Drama Desk Awards.

Missy Koonce (Dinah Grayson) has recently returned to the stage after a five year stint as bar owner, cabaret singer, music producer and mentor at bar Natasha. Last summer she came back onto the scene in a memorable cameo in bare at the Unicorn, followed by Kimberly Akimbo at the M.E.T. and, most recently, in Pride & Joy... produced by Actors and Artists Against AIDS to benefit AIDS Walk 2010. Jennifer Mays (Jeri Neal McFeeley) is a graduate of UMKC, and has been a professional actress in and out of KC for over 15 years. She has been seen on the AHT stage in The Nerd, Swingtime Canteen, and Moonlight and Magnolias. Cheryl Weaver (Lexie Richards) happily returns to the AHT stage where she was seen in last season's Murder by the Book. Other Heartland productions include The Dinner Party, The Mousetrap and Play It Again, Sam.

Donna Thomason (Direction) returns to AHT, where she last directed Stories My Grandmother Told Me and was last seen in Rose's Dilemma. A 30-year theatre veteran, in the past few years Donna's attentions have turned more toward directing and producing theatre. Donna's primary business focus is as the President and Creative Director for EPIC Entertainment Inc.

The set design for The Dixie Swim Club is by Del Unruh, lighting design is by Shane Rowse, costume design and is by Paul Hough, sound design is by Donna Miller, and properties design and set dressing are by William J. Christie.

Tickets can be ordered online at www.ahtkc.com or through the AHT Box Office at 816-842-9999. Handicapped entry and seating, as well as assistive listening devices, are available at all performances. An ASL-interpreted performance is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 at 7:30PM.

American Heartland Theatre is one of the city's leading live theatre establishments. The theatre serves over 150,000 theatre-goers every year from Kansas City and surrounding states. Each season, the theatre presents six productions, including comedies, musicals, dramas and mysteries featuring local, regional and national performers. AHT operates under agreements with Actors' Equity Association in its 440+ seat intimate theatre. American Heartland Theatre is located downtown in Crown Center and is a proud member of www.kclivearts.org.

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