The Royal Players to Stage YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU This August

The Royal Players end their 2015-16 season with its production of the classic Moss Hart-George S. Kaufman comedy "You Can't Take It with You" August 11-14 and 18-21, at the Royal Theater in Benton.

The production is sponsored by Regions Bank of Benton. Thursday through Saturday shows start at 7 p.m. and the Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 adult, $8 seniors and general military, and $5 students. Tickets will be available on the website - theroyalplayers.com.

Directed by Frank O. Butler, the play presents the Sycamore family during the Great Depression, in all its eccentric glory - Mother Penny (Amanda Gilmore) aspires to become a writer; Father Paul (Chris Counts) makes fireworks in the basement with the help of Mr. Da Pinna (Randall Earnest); Older daughter Essie (Destiny Marchese) wants to be a dancer, with the support of her husband Ed (Mason Newberry) and dance teacher Mr. Kolenkhov (Harold Dean); and 'Grandpa' (Tim Sopel) wants them all to be happy. When younger daughter Alice (Hannah Hill) falls for the boss's son Tony (Brian Christopher Roberson), matters of love escalate to impending catastrophe when Tony brings his parents, Mr. Kirby (Paul Johnston) and Mrs. Kirby (Karen Ray), on the wrong night for dinner. In a world of fact-checkers versus dream-catchers, can true love really win out?

Rounding out the cast are Jaketa McClure as Rheba, Keith Harper as Donald, Pam Vidt as Olga, Tom Wilkerson as Henderson, Hillary Bell as Gay Wellington, and Hunter Strom as an agent, with his assistant played by various "special guest stars" - having local "celebrity" actors has become a Royal tradition in Frank O. Butler plays.

"You Can't Take it with You" originally premiered on Broadway in 1936, and played for 838 performances. The play won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and was adapted for the screen as You Can't Take It with You, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director (Frank Capra). There have been numerous Broadway revivals of the show, including the most recent in 2015, with James Earl Jones as 'Grandpa'.

The Royal Theatre is in historic Downtown Benton at 111 S. Market Street. Phone is 501-315-5483(LIVE).

Breakdown of actors by their current towns:

Grandpa - Tim Sopel -Benton

Penny - Amanda Gilmore - LR

Paul - Chris Counts -Benton

Essie - Destiny Marchese - LR

Ed - Mason Newberry -Benton

Alice - Hannah Hill - Alexander

Tony - Brian Roberson - Benton

Donald - Keith Harper - LR

Rheba - Jaketa McClure - From Atlanta, Georgia but now lives in Benton

Mr. De Pinna - Randall Earnest - Benton

Kolenkhov - Harold Dean -NLR

Henderson - Tom Windham -Benton

Gay Wellington - Hillary Bell - Benton

Mr. Kirby - Paul Johnston - Alexander

Mrs. Kirby - Karen Ray -Benton

Olga - Pam Vidt -Bryant/Benton

Hunter Strom - Sheridan

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