BWW Previews: GLORIOUS! at Lompoc Civic Theatre

Florence Foster Jenkins: you may have heard her name from a recent resurgence in popularity due to being portrayed by the un-ignorable Meryl Streep in the 2016 biopic. But before there was a movie, there was the play: Glorious! The True Story of Florence Foster Jenkins, The Worst Singer in the World by Peter Quilter, which opens in Lompoc this weekend at the Civic Auditorium, and runs through April 9.

Glorious tells the true story of Narcissa Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy, New York socialite in the early twentieth century who loved to sing-even though precious few liked to listen. But her ostentatious costumes and "is-she-serious?" soprano styling made her a notable cult figure in the New York City entertainment scene. Prominent figures in music, including Cole Porter, were often audience to her concerts and dramatic musical presentations. And though the critics loved to cheerily rake her over the coals, Madame Jenkins, known for her singular devotion to performance, never backed down from doing what she loved: belting an aria.

Directed by Larry McLellan, Glorious, which was nominated for an Olivier Award for best new comedy, opens Lompoc Civic Theatre's 44th season. This production is a comedic take on Lady Florence's life, and features some of Lompoc Civic's returning talent: Anne Ramsey (Nunsense) plays Lady Florence; and William Koseluk (Clutter) plays her pianist, Cosme McMoon; both will be performing live music. Also featuring Ken Norberg, Chris Jeszeck, and Diana Diaz, and Marian Stave.

Of her performance, The New York Post may have said: "Lady Florence ... indulged last night in one of the weirdest mass jokes New York has ever seen." ...

But Lady Florence said: "People may say I can't sing, but no one can ever say I didn't sing."

Glorious! runs from March 24 through April 9 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Doors open half an hour prior to each performance. Come enjoy some wonderful period music before the show begins!

Presale tickets for $15 are available at Alfie's Fish & Chips (1036 N. H St.), P.J.'s Deli (128 W. College Ave.), and Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce (111 S. I St.). Tickets at the door are $18. Student, senior and military tickets as well as Sunday matinees are $15 at the door. Groups of 15 or more qualify for a discounted ticket price of $12. Cash, check and credit cards are accepted at the door. Please contact LCT at 735-ACT1 (735-2281) with any questions.

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