By Audra Baakari Boyle
July 26, 2007
At Peninsula Players we do things by the numbers. This week on property we have nine kids a playing, eight doors a slamming’ on the set, seven cats a meowing, six dogs a retrieving, five interns building, four new actors singing, three cooks a cooking, two actors in kilts and a partridge in a pear tree. Okay, we don’t have a pear tree but we are celebrating Christmas in July.
If you are a frequent reader of the Players’ Pen you have read tales of our company’s exploits during Christmas in July, when we have Secret Santas and trade gifts with each other – some more creatively then others. One year Joe Foust had to follow a yarn trail from his doorknob as it wove around trees, buildings and other places on property until it led to his gift. Five hundred yards of yarn goes a long way.
Celebrating Christmas in July gives the company time to relax while we continue to work hard on the shows we produce. Mostly, it is a morale booster and an opportunity for new company members to share in the strong sense of camaraderie that allows one to call themselves’ a “Player.” Not only do we share gifts, but we form little committees to prepare decorations and munchies for the party.
While we work together to do little things for the party we also team-up for the bigger tasks of mounting a “monster” of a show such as “Little Shop of Horrors.” If you are familiar with the storyline of “Little Shop” you’ll know the exotic plant that brings Seymour glory and success eats people.
Ed Kross, new to our company this year, plays Seymour, and the apple of his eye is Audrey, played by returning Player Cassie Wooley. Cassie was Sally Bowles in last season’s production of “Cabaret.” These talented folks are also in on the fun of Secret Santa as well as new company members, Karla Beard, Lili-Anne Brown and Sharyon A. Culberson; they too can call themselves a “Player.”
We never have a dull moment at the Players. If you stop by the box office during the day this week to purchase tickets you may see a carpenter trying to earn his gift by serenading the cast with his rendition of Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana.” But if you are lucky, instead you’ll hear the sounds of our actors rehearsing such musical numbers as “Suddenly Seymour,” “Skid Row,” “Somewhere That’s Green” or “Don’t Feed the Plants.”
Maybe you’ll catch the eight doors a slamming at night while the actors are still on stage in our comedy “Unnecessary Farce.” Or perhaps you’ll see the work of seven interns parking, six ticket sellers, five musicians playing, four carpenters building, three seamsters sewing, two props builders, and one puppet master working the mean-green, exotic plant from outer space that is bent on world domination.
For tickets to “Unnecessary Farce” or “The Little Shop of Horrors” go to our website at peninsulaplayers.com or call the box office at 920-868-3287. Perhaps I’ll see you by the bay, where the sun shimmers over the water, the curtain rises and the stars shine.
Audra Baakari Boyle is the Peninsula Players Business Manager celebrating her 13th season with the Players.