Gulfshore Playhouse Presents New Comedy 'Unnecessary Farce'

Gulfshore Playhouse to Perform New Comedy "Unnecessary Farce"

Gulfshore Playhouse is continuing its 5th mainstage season with the new comedy Unnecessary Farce by Paul Slade Smith. This production will run January 28th through February 13th, 2011, with a preview January 27th. 

Unnecessary Farce takes place in a cheap motel room, where an embezzling mayor is supposed to meet with his female accountant. In the room next-door, two undercover cops wait to catch the meeting on videotape. But there's some confusion as to who's in which room, who's being videotaped, who's taken the money, who's hired a hit man, and why the accountant keeps taking off her clothes. This new comedy is full of mix-ups and mayhem. 

While Gulfshore Playhouse generally casts professional actors from New York, the cast of Unnecessary Farce consists of several professional actors from Florida led by Naples resident Zolan Henderson playing Officer Eric. Gulfshore Playhouse audiences may remember Zolan as Dr. Bob in last year's successful run of Beau Jest. Terry Wells, who hails from the St. Petersburg area, will be playing Mayor Meekley, and another Florida resident, Elizabeth Dimon, from Boca Raton, will be playing Mrs. Meekley, the Mayor's wife. Christopher Swan, known for various productions in the Florida area, will make his Gulfshore Playhouse debut as Agent Frank, the Mayor's nefarious security guard. Wendy Bergamini, playing accountant Karen Brown, just finished playing Miss Olsen in the Broadway revival of Promises, Promises, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes. Rounding out the cast are Justin Holcomb as Todd, the mysterious Scottish hit man and Katrina Foy as Officer Billie. Gulfshore Playhouse audiences will remember Katy as Marianne in Tartuffe. 

Producing Artistic Director Kristen Coury will direct, Robert F. Wolin will create the Set Design, Jennifer Murray will lend her talent as both Costume Designer and Props Mistress, and Technical Director Curtis Lee Jones will serve as Lighting Designer. 

"I am delighted to bring Unnecessary Farce to the Naples community," notes Producing Artistic Director Kristen Coury. "It's a hilarious new comedy that is sure to make you leave the theatre laughing."

Paul Slade Smith is not only a playwright, but also an actor. He toured extensively as a member of the national tour of the Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera. Fitting enough, the first reading of Unnecessary Farce took place in a hotel room with members of the Phantom cast. Paul is currently in the national touring company of the enormously popular Broadway musical Wicked.

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. All Gulfshore Playhouse productions are presented exclusively at The Norris Center in Downtown Naples.

The Gulfshore Playhouse Theatre Education Project serves Southwest Florida through a wide variety of unique educational opportunities. Their programming provides people from the community accessibility to the art of theatre. Program offerings range from ART SMART, their in-school residencies which teach content curriculum in the schools, to the STAR (Student Theatre Artist in Residence) after-school theatre classes and Summer Acting Intensives, as well as the Saturday Series which features acting and technical training for adults, taught by professional actors and members of the Gulfshore Playhouse creative team.

Gulfshore Playhouse's production of Unnecessary Farce will play January 27 through February 13, exclusively at the Norris Center, 755 8th Avenue South in Downtown Naples, FL. Single tickets are on sale now. Tickets start at $35 and are available by calling 1-866-811-4111 or on their website www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org. A 3-show Flex Pass is also available that secures front center seating for their three remaining shows of the season.

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