Peninsula Players Theatre presents an audio recording of “Kodachrome,” a tender and funny comedy by Adam Szymkowicz, beginning Monday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. CST. Suzanne, the local photographer in a rural New England town, gives audiences a glimpse into the lives of her neighbors, one romance at a time. “Kodachrome” is produced with support from and in coordination with Door County Reads and its exploration of “Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time” and “Truck: A Love Story” by Michael Perry. Access to the audio reading is limited to 300 households. A virtual pass is available at www.onthestage.com/peninsula-players-theatre. Listening is free.
Last week, the Door County Reads committee moved all Door County Reads events to a virtual platform. In solidarity with the library’s decision and for the health and safety of our community, staff and actors, the “in-person” reading of Kodachrome has been canceled.
Szymkowicz’s “Kodachrome” has been called a contemporary version of Thorton Wilder’s timeless classic, “Our Town.” Set in the sleepy town of Colchester, snapshots of the residents’ everyday lives and romances are caught at diverse stages, from a budding romance to grappling with goodbye, allowing the audience to find themselves in their stories. Photographer Suzanne captures moments where dreams are dashed and fulfilled and passionate feelings of hope and yearning are reflected in the lives of the local librarian, waitress, police officer, history professor, florist, gravedigger, and more.
Szymkowicz received a Playwright’s Diploma from The Juilliard School’s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program and an MFA from Columbia University, where he was the Dean’s Fellow. Szymkowicz is a two-time Lecomte du Noüy Prize winner, a member of the Dramatists Guild, Writer’s Guild of America, and was a member of Primary Stages’ Dorothy Strelsin New American Writer’s Group and the MCC Playwright’s Coalition. His plays have been produced by Portland Center Stage, South Coast Rep, Playwrights Horizons, Primary Stages and overseas in South Korea, Sweden, and Lithuania.
Peninsula Players Theatre veteran actor Cassandra Bissell (“Romance in D,” “The Dust of Death,” “It Sounds Like a Christmas Carol,” “Silent Sky,” “Miss Holmes”) portrays Suzanne, who serves as a tour guide through the rural small town. The ensemble cast includes Christie Coran (“A Murder is Announced,” “Ghost the Musical”); Erica Elam (“Trifles,” “Now and Then”); Linda Fortunato, Peninsula Players Artistic Director (“Talley’s Folly,” “The Outsider” (formerly, “A Real Lulu”)); Sean Fortunato (“Talley’s Folly,” “The Dust of Death,” “The Drowsy Chaperone”); Mike Jimerson (“The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “Trifles”); and Ric Walker (“The Adventures of the Thin Man,” “Bell Book and Candle.”) “Kodachrome” is directed by Kevin Christopher Fox.
Bissell, Elam, Fortunatos, Jimerson and Walker all took part under Fox’s direction in last season’s audio plays of “The Adventures of the Thin Man,” “Bell, Book and Candle,” “The Dust of Death,” “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “Trifles.” Fox also directed the world première of “The Actuary” at Peninsula Players Theatre in 2017.
The cast and director have numerous regional and Chicago theater credits, including work with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Cleveland Play House, Court Theatre, First Folio Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Great Lakes Theater, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Northlight Theatre, Porchlight Music Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Theatre at the Center, TimeLine Theatre Company and Writers Theatre as well as the Idaho and Utah Shakespeare Festivals.
“We were delighted last year by the participation of patrons both in and outside of the Door County area who enjoyed this radio-style play reading presentation,” said Managing Director Brian Kelsey. “We look forward to continuing to bring programming directly into homes and are thrilled that The Play’s the Thing will be available to 300 households throughout the country.”
“Kodachrome“ is part of Peninsula Players Theatre’s winter program, The Play’s the Thing. It is funded in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as generous grants from Door County Medical Center, Friends of Door County Libraries, The Shubert Foundation and operating funds of Peninsula Players Theatre.
Peninsula Players Theatre is America’s oldest professional resident summer theater. The Play’s the Thing is part of Peninsula Players Theatre’s winter outreach programming, presenting professional play readings for the public. Learn more about Peninsula Players Theatre and its 2022 season at www.peninsulaplayers.com.