SUITE SURRENDER Bows at Murfreesboro's CFTA, 9/16

Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts presents the farcical Suite Surrender, running September 16-25. Called "a rib-tickling good time," by the Palm Beach Post, the stage comedy promises to keep audiences laughing from beginning to end.

In the play, two of Hollywood's biggest divas - who despise each other, have descended upon the luxurious Palm Beach Royale Hotel. Chaos breaks out when they are somehow assigned to the same suite. Mistaken identities, overblown egos, double entendres and a lap dog named Mr. Boodles round out this hilarious farce.

Director Vickie Bailey is excited to be helming her first show at The Center for the Arts. "I am so enjoying directing this beautiful cast in this beautiful building," she stated. "Everyone has been great to work with and we are having so much fun every night, it never feels like work."

The Center's cast is filled with familiar faces of the Murfreesboro theater community, including two talented actresses, well known to the Rutherford County audiences: Cyndie Verbeten and CathyJean D. Spencer play the two celebrities with towering egos who hate each other. They are joined by Mandy Ray -Jones and Sean Richardson as their much-beleaguered assistants, and Robert McAdams as the hotel's general manager Bernard S. Dunlap. Margo Ford portrays Mrs. Everett P. Osgood, the society matron pulling everyone's strings. Jess Townsend runs about hiding in closets as the nosy reporter Dora Del Rio. The two bellhops Francis and Otis are played by Michael Jones and Mike Spencer.

Tickets can be purchased on the center's website at www.boroarts.org; calling (615) 904- 2787; or stopping by the Center's box office at 110 W. College St. in downtown Murfreesboro. Tickets are $15 for adults; $13 for seniors, students and military; and $11 for children. Group tickets are available. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoons.

photo by Natasha Baxley Jones