“Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” at WOW!
Women of Wilton (WOW!), the recent offshoot of Ronnie Larsen’s successful Plays of Wilton (POW!) theater company, make their debut on the Foundry Stage, July 27 – Aug. 20, with “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” by Jane Chambers.
Written for the first Gay American Arts Festival in 1980, the play is affectionately referred to as “The Girls in the Sand,” a female counterpoint to Mart Crowley’s hit 1968 play “The Boys in the Band.” The drama is widely regarded as the first mainstream play about lesbians.
Director Nicole Stodard, founder of Thinking Cap Theatre in Dania Beach, said, “Chambers’ iconic play has experienced many revivals since it premiered more than 40 years ago, and in our current moment, it reminds us of how far we have come, and how far we still must go. The play’s mix of humor and pathos makes it an incredible acting vehicle, and we have assembled a stellar cast to tell its story.”
Chambers’ play focuses on the friendships and journeys of eight women after the lead character is diagnosed with cancer. The play ultimately champions the power of love, the importance of living life to the fullest in the moment and the hope of new beginnings.
Stodard’s cast includes Bree-Anna Obst, Autumn Kioti, Sabrina-Lynn Gore, Melissa Ann Hubicsak, Leah Sessa, Carey Brianna Hart and Therese Adelina.
Larsen added, “This is a very exciting day here at POW! and ‘Last Summer at Bluefish Cove’ is the perfect show to launch WOW! Jane Chambers, who wrote the play, is a nationally recognized award-winning American playwright. She was a ‘pioneer in writing theatrical works with openly lesbian characters.’ We are also so honored to have Nicole Stodard directing this ground-breaking production.”
Women of Wilton (WOW!) present “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” by Jane Chambers, July 27 to Aug. 20 at The Foundry, 2306 N. Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. Tickets start at $37.50 at RonnieLarsen.com.
“Thrill Me” at Island City Stage
Tickets are now on sale for “Thrill Me,” Stephen Dolginoff’s musical about the infamous thrill killers Leopold and Loeb, opening Aug. 3 at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors.
The 2005 one-act show is based on the true story of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, two young lovers who murdered a young boy in 1924 in order to commit "the perfect crime." The story is told in flashbacks, beginning with a 1958 parole hearing and explores the predatory relationship between the men.
Island City Stage, 2304 N. Dixie Highway, presents “Thrill Me,“ Aug. 3 to Sept. 3. Tickets start at $40 at IslandCityStage.org. Use code EBTHRILL before July 31 to save 10% on regular ticket prices.
“Oleanna” at Empire Stage
Michael Vadnal Productions presents David Mamet’s “Oleanna,” a searing 1992 drama about the power struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual harassment and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being accorded tenure.
The play's title, taken from a folk song, refers to a 19th-century escapist vision of utopia. The play has been interpreted as Mamet’s response to the 1991 confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court and the sexual harassment charges raised by Anita Hill.
The show will be presented Aug. 4 to 20 at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Drive in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets are $35 at EmpireStage.com. Use code EARLY to save 20 percent on regular ticket prices.
