Gulfshore Playhouse Announces their Scintillating Seventh Season

(Photo From Gulfshore's Production Of DOUBT)

Gulfshore Playhouse Announces their Scintillating Seventh Season

Gulfshore Playhouse is preparing their Scintillating Seventh season with a variety of diverse productions, presentation formats, and venues. Naples' first and finest professional theatre company is growing to six Mainstage productions this year, running from October through April.

"I am heartened and humbled by the way that the community has embraced Gulfshore Playhouse. We have always stayed true to our mission of providing the highest quality professional theatre and unique educational opportunities at affordable prices, and it is clear from our growth that our residents and visitors appreciate it," states Kristen Coury, Gulfshore Playhouse Founder and Producing Artistic Director.

Opening the Gulfshore Playhouse 2012-2013 mainstage season is "Reza in Rep,"two Tony-Award winning productions in repertory: Art and God of Carnage both by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton. "Reza in Rep" is playing October 20 through November 18, 2012, with preview performances October 16 through 19. There will be two pay-what-you-can preview performances October 16 and 17, with half of the proceeds going to two local charities, Habitat for Humanity and The Shelter for Abused Women and Children. With two shows running simultaneously, you get the opportunity to see two Tony-Award winning plays all in one week or participate in Marathon Madness Saturdays to see both Art and God of Carnage on the same day.

Art is the story of three friends, Marc, Serge and Ivan. Serge just bought a very expensive painting. It's about five feet by four, all white with white diagonal lines. Marc thinks it's anything but art, but is it the painting that offends him, or Serge's willingness to follow the latest trends? This hilarious, intelligent and acerbic play examines the meaning of art, friendship, peer pressure and the ultimate value of those you love. Also, with a ticket stub from Art, patrons can receive two tickets for the price of one at the Patty & Jay Baker Naples Museum of Art. Likewise, with a ticket stub from the art museum, patrons will receive 10% off their ticket to Art.

God of Carnage brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents after a playground altercation between their eleven-year-old boys. Though the meeting to resolve the matter begins with polite pleasantries, it quickly descends into primal madness as tempers flare, loyalties shift and the parents devolve into children. Don't miss this Tony Award-winning comedy that both strikes a chord and hits a funny bone all in one fell swoop.

Gulfshore Playhouse also announced a new addition to the Gulfshore Playhouse staff. Cody Nickell, who audiences will remember as Charles Condomine in last season's Blithe Spirit, will be the Artistic Associate. Cody will be involved in many of the artistic and creative facets of Gulfshore Playhouse, including directing, acting, helping with sourcing possible plays for future seasons, and being a general spokesperson. Cody is a graduate of The Carnegie Mellon School of Drama. Cody has acted on stages all over the country from Alaska to Florida and most recently starred in The Whipping Man at the Arden Theatre and Clybourne Park at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, which won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Cody is a 3-time Helen Hayes Award Nominee, and a Connecticut Critics Circle Award Winner.

Starting the spring 2013 season will be a soon to-be-announced riveting drama. Gulfshore Playhouse prides itself on bringing you the best theatre in the area and this production will be no exception. The Playhouse has requested the rights to three hot new Broadway plays and is awaiting more information. This production is playing January 18 through February 3, 2013 with a preview performance January 17.

The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People by Oscar Wilde, will play February 15 through March 3, 2013 with a preview performance February 14. This classic play, set in Victorian London, opens with Algernon Moncrieff, an idle young gentleman, receiving his best friend, whom he knows as Ernest Worthing. Ernest has come from the country to propose to Algernon's cousin, Gwendolen. Algernon, however, refuses his consent until Ernest explains why his cigarette case bears the inscription, "From little Cecily, with her fondest love to her dear Uncle Jack." "Ernest" is forced to admit to living a double life. See this comedy that reminds us of the importance of honesty, laughter…and being earnest.

In March 2013, the third production of the spring season is the period drama The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez, playing March 15 through 30, with a preview performance March 14. The year is 1865. The Civil War is over and throughout the south, slaves are being freed, soldiers are returning home and in Jewish homes, the annual celebration of Passover is being celebrated. Three men are at a crossroads - a Jewish Confederate soldier who has returned from battle, and his two former slaves. As the three men reunite to celebrate Passover, they wrestle with their shared past and the reality of the new world in which they find themselves. The Whipping Man is a play about redemption and forgiveness, about the lasting scars of slavery, and the responsibility that comes with freedom.

The final Gulfshore Playhouse show of the 2012- 2013 season is Master Class by Terrance McNally, playing April 5 through 21, with a preview performance April 4. The Tony Award-winning play takes inspiration from the life of opera diva Maria Callas, after her voice has given out and she has taken to teaching Master Classes at Juilliard. Join her center stage as she coaxes, prods and inspires her opera students into giving the performances of their lives, while she entertains us with secrets of her own and reminisces on the triumphs and tragedies of her life and career. Filled with funny quips about life and love, insights into what it means to be human and interesting perspectives on the creation of art and bringing a song to life, this beautiful musical play is not to be missed. This production will be take place at the Daniels Pavilion at the Philharmonic Center.

Subscriptions are available for both six shows and four shows. Current subscribers have exclusive access to purchase subscriptions until February 20th when they go on sale to the general public. Single tickets will be available for purchase beginning March 2nd.

Gulfshore Playhouse will also present their Eighth Annual Golf Tournament and Season Kick-Off Cocktail Reception November 4 & 5, 2012 at Naples Tomato and The Colony Golf and Bay Club. Enjoy great food provided by Naples Tomato and an incredible silent auction with a chance to win many great prices, including an exclusive raffle to dinner for four with wine pairings to ten of Naples' top restaurants. Their third annual "Bubbles, Baubles and Broadway" Fundraiser Gala Event will be February 23, 2013. More information on the gala will be available soon.

Gulfshore Playhouse is Naples' first and finest professional theatre company offering a variety of stimulating, thought-provoking and entertaining productions from important classics to Broadway hits and innovative new works. Their shows are conceived and created in house using a team of professional designers and technicians as well as Equity actors with credits ranging from Broadway shows to film and television.

The Gulfshore Playhouse Theatre Education Project serves Southwest Florida through a wide variety of unique educational opportunities. Their programming provides people from our diverse community accessibility to the art of theatre. Program offerings range from ART SMART, Gulfshore's in-school residencies which teach content curriculum through the lively art of theatre during the school day, to the STAR (Student Theatre Artist in Residence) after-school theatre classes and Theatre Summer Camps. They offer a variety of educational opportunities for adults, from rigorous internship programs to classes taught by professional actors and members of the Gulfshore Playhouse creative team, and their newly unveiled Synergy Series, a series of panel discussions and talk-backs relating to our Mainstage productions.

This June, students ages 6 through 12 participating in the STAR "Star in a Play" Acting Summer Campwill perform in a showcase performance of Beauty and the Beast June 29 at 12:00 p.m. at the Norris Center and June 30th at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the Golisano Children's Museum of Naples (C'Mon). This follows a three week acting program that introduces young performers to the creative and technical side of theatre. Gulfshore Playhouse will also participate in the first annual Founder's Day of C'Mon on April 7th.

All shows (with the exception of Master Class) are presented at the Norris Center, 7558th Avenue South, Naples. Master Class will be presented at the Daniels Pavilion at the Philharmonic Center. Subscriptions and tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 1-866-811-4111 or visiting  www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org. For more information, please call 239-261-PLAY (7529).

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