Peninsula Players Theatre, America’s oldest professional resident summer theatre, presents Baggage by Sam Bobrick (June 16– July 5) to open the 91st season. This quirky, mismatched romantic comedy is directed by Peninsula Players Theatre’s Artistic Director Linda Fortunato.
Two single people, disillusioned and trying to heal from disappointing relationships, are brought together when their luggage is mixed up at the airport. They decide to forge a friendship, encouraged by a free-spirited best friend and discouraged by a self-proclaimed expert counselor. This unique comedy will have audiences rooting for this couple to leave their baggage behind and make a real connection. Baggage is generously sponsored by Tony & Judy Licata.
The cast includes returning Peninsula Players Theatre alumni Aja Alcazar (I Ought To Be in Pictures, The Angel Next Door, Million Dollar Quartet) as Phyllis Novak and Sean Blake (The Rainmaker) as Dr. Jonathan Alexander. Alcazar is a Chicago-based performer with credits at Northlight Theatre (The Angel Next Door, The Heart Sellers), Drury Lane Theatre (Always…Patsy Cline, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash), Goodman Theatre (The Penolopiad), and more. Blake has had an extensive career performing in Broadway national tours (Showboat), numerous regional theatres including Goodman Theatre (The Rose Tattoo, Ain’t Misbehavin), Northlight Theatre, and Drury Lane Theatre, and many television and film credits.
Making their debuts at Peninsula Players Theatre are Christopher Sheard as Bradley Naughton and Bri Sudia as Mitzi Cartright. Sheard has performed at numerous Chicago theatres including Goodman Theatre (A Christmas Carol, The Winter’s Tale), Writers Theatre (The Last Match, Arcadia), Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and more. Regional credits include five seasons with American Players Theatre and Door County’s own Third Avenue PlayWorks. Sudia has performed on Broadway in A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical and has many Chicago credits including performances at Paramount Theatre (Dear Evan Hansen, Sweeney Todd), Drury Lane Theatre (Always…Patsy Cline), and Writers Theatre (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812).
Artistic Director & Director of Baggage, Fortunato has directed and performed over many seasons at Peninsula Players Theatre, where she most recently directed Barefoot in the Park last season. The creative team includes Peninsula Players Theatre alumni: Brian Grimm, sound design (Barefoot in the Park); Rachel Lambert, costume design (Barefoot in the Park, I Ought To Be In Pictures, Miss Holmes); Michaela Lochen, scenic design (Million Dollar Quartet, Steel Magnolias); and Jason Lynch, lighting design (Blithe Spirit, I and You).
Grimm’s credits include many designs at Third Avenue PlayWorks (Ryan’s Pub: Trivia Night, Stones In His Pockets). Lambert’s credits include work with Goodman Theatre, The Second City, Northlight Theatre, and more. Lochen’s recent credits include Significant Other, Ride the Cyclone, and Mamma Mia at Lyric Arts in Anoka, Minnesota. Lynch’s recent Chicago credits include work with Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Court Theatre, Goodman Theatre, and Northlight Theatre.
Playwright Bobrick has written or co-written 40 plays, including Murder at the Howard Johnson’s, Weekend Comedy, and The Crazy Time. He is also known for his television writing credits, which include Get Smart, The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, and Saved By The Bell.
Peninsula Players Theatre is a professional, not-for-profit theatre that employs members of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the union of professional actors and stage managers; United Scenic Artists (USA), the labor union and professional association of designers, artists and craftspeople; and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), the theatrical union of stage directors and choreographers.
The audience pavilion’s side panels, doors, and vents will remain open throughout the summer season. Patrons should dress for the weather and be prepared for shifting temperatures and breezes off the bay. Peninsula Players Theatre is a smoke-free campus. Smoking is prohibited on the grounds at all times. Audience members are invited to come early for a pre-show beverage or snack at the Luna Bar and Canteen. The grounds open 90 minutes before the show.
Peninsula Players Theatre performs Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. except for Sunday, July 5 at 2:00 p.m. Ticket prices for Baggage range from $54 to $59, with student and group tickets for parties of 15 or more available. Groups should phone the Box Office at (920) 868-3287 to make arrangements. For more information, visit www.peninsulaplayers.com.
Peninsula Players Theatre would like to thank The Shubert Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board, with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts, for their ongoing support.
Peninsula Players Theatre is America’s Oldest Professional Resident Summer Theatre. It is unique for its diverse productions, continued loyalty to a resident company, and beautiful setting on 16 wooded acres along the cedar-lined shores of Green Bay. In the past 91 years, the Theater has become a Door County landmark and cornerstone arts institution, attracting audience members nationwide.