Happy New Year! We here at Gulfshore Playhouse hope you had a wonderful holiday season! 2012 was a busy year for us, and we are looking forward to our upcoming spring season! With the remaining four plays of our season being presented from mid January to late April, we are very excited to continue bringing High-Quality Professional Theatre to Naples.
We are already in rehearsals for Doug Wright’s “I Am My Own Wife”. This compelling one-man drama tells the true story of Charlotte Van Mahlsdorf, a cross dressing museum owner who survived the Nazi and Communist regimes in eastern Germany. With two-time Barry Award winner Kraig Swartz playing a total of 37 characters, it is sure to be an event you will not to miss! This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play will be showing from January 18th to February 3rd, with a preview performance on January 17th. Look for upcoming blog posts from Director Kristen Coury and Actor Kraig Swartz for an inside look at the process of creating this exquisite piece.
For a closer look at the experience of creating this one man tour de force, watch the video below:
Following will be what is touted as the funniest play written in the English language, Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”. This classic play revolves around Ernest Worthing, who has come to London from the country to propose to Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen, played by a familiar face here at the Playhouse: Claire Brownell, who played Blanche in last spring’s “A Streetcar Named Desire.” This witty masterpiece will be showing February 15th through March 3rd with a preview performance on February 14th.
The final show at our home of The Norris Center this spring, will be the intense drama “The Whipping Man” written by Matthew Lopez and directed by Matt Pfieffer. The Philadelphia-based Pfeiffer brings his expertise to Naples after directing this same show at The Arden Theatre last fall. The play takes place in 1865, just after the Civil War ended, as soldiers are returning home and slaves are being released all across the south. This tale follows three men as they come together to celebrate Passover and deal with the new realities they face following the war. This play about redemption and forgiveness will be playing March 15th-30th with a preview performance on March 14th. Look for our Artistic Associate, Cody Nickell, in the role of Caleb.
For the last show of our 2012-2013 season, Gulfshore Playhouse is partnering with the Philharmonic Center for the Arts. Showing at the Daniels Pavilion will be the Tony Award-winning play with music “Master Class” written by Terrance McNally. Set in a Julliard opera hall, this show is inspired by the life of opera diva Maria Callas as she teaches Master Classes following the end of her singing career. The play gives the audience many insights on love and creating art while learning of the events of Callas’ life and career. You can be in the room with Maria as she coaxes, prods and inspires her opera students into giving the performance of their lives. “Master Class” will be taking the stage from April 5th -21st with a preview performance on April 4th.
Along with these four shows, we will be continuing with our new Synergy Series. The Synergy Series will be bringing you deeper looks into our productions with video promos and trailers, blog posts from people inside our productions, and panel discussions including experts within the community. For our next panel discussion, taking place on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we will be featuring Holocaust Survivors Jacques and Sabine Van Dam, and FGCU Sociology Professor Dr. Deeb Kitchen. This panel will take place on January 27th after the 3pm matinee. It is free to the public, even if you didn’t attend that matinee, you are welcome!!
The Playhouse Perspective 
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