What's Next: The 2018 Season!
Drumroll, please... It's time to delve into the 2018 Bobcat Players' season! We are so excited to tell you about the four shows we will be producing next year, because we certainly feel like there's something for everyone. Though we do not have exact dates yet, we will be updating you with as much information as possible as it becomes available!
Our season will open with Something to Hide by Leslie Sands. Set in the English countryside, the drama ensues when a risky love affair is complicated by a violent turn of events. This complex thriller recalls the classic era of Hitchcock and will be directed by Bobcat president, Keith Zagorski. Full of twists and turns, half-truths and double-crossing lies, Something to Hide will have you guessing what comes next, right until the curtain falls! But don't just take my word for it. Listen to what artistic director Patti Ross has to say: "This is something of a departure for the Bobcat Players, as it is truly a tongue-in-cheek mystery. The plot is fascinating; just when you think you've figured it out, another surprise occurs. The show boasts great character roles, droll British humor, and far more than a modicum of suspense. We selected it because it resonated with our entire reading committee; it's such a smart, well-written thriller... Nothing like an old-fashioned mystery with diabolical characters to get the season up and running!"
Next up: Too Many Cooks by Marcia Kash and Douglas E. Hughes! Set in 1930s Canada at the height of Prohibition, this slapstick comedy is sure to have audiences laughing until they cry. Following the stock market crash, a father and daughter duo invest everything they have in a new gourmet restaurant--but when their renowned singing chef doesn't show, everything is on the line. But don't take my word for it! Artistic director Ross adds, "I guarantee that Too Many Cooks, our summer show, will be an unqualified audience pleaser. Who doesn't love outlandish characters and improbable plots? This is perfect summer entertainment, and we are pleased to introduce one of our new directors who will guide this show to production. Rosh Raines is an actor, director, and educator at Lincoln Park Performing Arts School. We are honored to have him join the Bobcat Players family."
Our season special will be The Drawer Boy by Michael Healey. Featuring only three male roles, this award-winning drama focuses on the power of storytelling and friendship. Josh Antoon will direct this heartfelt story that revolves around the lives of two elderly farmers with a long history together. Their daily routine is disrupted by the appearance of an eager young actor who stirs up and questions their reality. The Drawer Boy is different from any play we've ever performed--and it may just be the most poignant. But don't just take my word for it! Ross said, "I think this will be a memorable night of theater, and I am proud to entrust this production to the capable hands of our young technical director, actor, and board member Josh Antoon, who has the sensitivity to give the show its due. As this is the season of departures, we conclude with one of the most challenging departures--and one of the most beautiful scripts--I have encountered as artistic director."
And this fall, stay tuned for classic Noel Coward with Blithe Spirit! This hilarious farce tells the story of a married couple who participate in a séance--only to find out they have conjured up the ghost of his first wife. Strangely enough, the husband is the only one who can see this ghost, which of course creates marital problems... And to make matters worse, his dead wife wants him back! Directed by our own queen of comedy, Shelly Cary, Blithe Spirit could just be the smash comedy hit of the season! But don't take my word for it. Check out Ross's final words on the season: "In my opinion, this is Noel Coward at his best. I first saw this classical farce when I was a freshman in college, and it literally blew me away. It's hilarious, spooky, witty, and gritty all at the same time. The show is rarely done, probably because it is a genuine staging challenge. (The final scene is a stage manager's nightmare, and so awesome when it's pulled off. And we will go to great lengths to pull it off!) I love offering classics to our audiences, and the lightly treated themes of jealousy, insecurity, and infidelity will resonate with modern audiences just as they did for the audiences of Coward's time."
There you have it--our four shows for 2018! A season of comedy, drama, farce, and thrills! What could be a better Christmas present?!
