Slipstream Presents: THE MERRY WIVES OF MIAMI
By: Rebecca Russo Jun. 27, 2019
Picture it. Miami. 1987. A successful television show ends after seven seasons, to everyone's chagrin. Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia live on in all of our hearts as we watch reruns of The Golden Girls over a mound of cheesecake and a bottle of wine. But what if, through some strange bit of Hollywood magic, they were able to come back for a new season? And what if the first episode of that season included the girls doing Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor? The gay gasps would be deafening. Good news, Slipstream Theatre Initiative reimagines Shakespeare's comedy as just that - and invites you to a live filming of Season 8, episode 1: The Golden Girls do Merry Wives!
The Merry Wives of Windsor is the story of Mistresses Page and Ford, two women of a certain age with more than a little wit and spunk. Mistress Ford has a terribly jealous husband who is sure he will catch his wife in an act of infidelity and sets out to prove himself right. Meanwhile, Sir John Falstaff, a rascal of a different sort, has devised a way to seduce both women, and make some money in the process. A nosy neighbor and a much-sought-after daughter add to the frenzy and the result is madness and shenanigans, as only the Bard could create. And luckily for us, Slipstream's production is just in time for summer, making the heat of Miami palpable.
Slipstream's newly titled The Merry Wives of Miami features powerhouse Michigan actors Mandy Logsdon (as Betty White as Rose Nylund as Mistress Ford), Jan Cartwright (as Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak as Mistress Page), Luna Alexander (as Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux as Anne Page), and Linda Rabin Hammell (as Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo as Mistress Quickly). The rest of the cast is pretty spectacular as well, with Patrick O'Lear (as the scandalous buffoon John Falstaff), Ryan Ernst (as the jealous rapscallion Master Ford), Jake Rydell (as the sex-starved French Doctor Caius), Alex "Cookie" Isenberg (as bro-er than thou suitor to Anne Page, Master Slender), Tiaja Sabrie (as the unfazed and incessantly chef-tastic Master Page), and Grace Trivax (as an in-over-her-head Floor Manager who has to take on various roles due to the Child Actors Union being on strike).
Sound Zany? Over-the-top and unbelievably absurd? You don't know the half of it!
Join Slipstream Theatre Initiative July 12th through August 4th for this whacky bit of homage to the world's most beloved ladies! The Merry Wives of Miami runs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased at www.slipstreamti.com, by emailing Slipstreamti@Slipstreamti.com, or calling (313) 986-9156. Slipstream Theatre Initiative is located at 460 Hilton road in Ferndale. This production is directed by Bailey Boudreau with Alanna Elling serving as stage manager. Jackson Abohasira is the technical designer, and Tiaja Sabrie is the costume designer. Photography is by Jan Cartwright and graphic design is by Esbee Creative. Slipstream Theatre Initiative is a 501-c3. Tickets are always just $12.
What: The Merry Wives of Windsor Miami by William Shakespeare
When: Fridays (7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2), Saturdays (7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3) and
Sundays (7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4)
Time: Fridays and Saturdays: 8:00 PM Sundays: 7:00 PM
How much: $12
Where: 460 Hilton Road, Ferndale MI 48220
Contact: 313.986.9156
Photo Courtesy of Slipstream Theatre Initiative
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