'GLORIOUS! THE TRUE STORY OF FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS' to Open Ross Valley Players' 2015-16 Season
By: BWW News Desk Aug. 27, 2015
Based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, Peter Quilter re-creates this exuberant "soprano" in his play - while she sings and screeches her way through performances for her enthusiastic audiences - who mostly fell apart with laughter. GLORIOUS! will transform Ross Valley Players' stage into Carnegie Hall while sweeping audiences away with Florence's triumphs of heart, tenacity, and vigor. GLORIOUS! was nominated for the Laurence Oliver Award for Best New Comedy and has since played in over a hundred theaters across six continents.
GLORIOUS! begins with a preview on Thursday, September 17th and runs through Sunday, October 18th. Opening night is Friday, September 18th at 8PM. For more information, go to www.rossvalleyplayers.com.
In New York in the 1940s, the performer whom everyone wanted to see live was Florence Foster Jenkins (Ellen Brooks), a New York heiress and socialite who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming a great opera singer. The voice she heard in her head was beautiful, but to everyone else it was hilariously awful. Known as "the first lady of the sliding scale" - this joyously happy, yet delusional woman paid little heed to critics, and comfortably surrounded herself with a devoted circle of similarly eccentric friends.
Under Billie Cox's direction, GLORIOUS! whisks audiences through Florence's charity recitals, extravagant balls, bizarre recording sessions, and ultimate triumph at Carnegie Hall.
The full cast includes Florence Foster Jenkins (Ellen Brooks), Dorothy (Eileen Fisher), St. Clair (Mitchell Field), Mrs. Verrinder-Gedge (Jackie Blue), Cosme McMoon (Daniel Morgan), and Maria (Maureen O'Donoghue).
Performances are Thursday, September 17th (Preview Night) through Sunday, October 18th, with Opening Night on Friday, September 18th at 8PM. Regular Thursday performances are at 7:30PM; Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM; Sunday matinees at 2PM. (Note there is no matinee on Sunday, September 20th .) All performances take place at the Barn Theatre, home of the Ross Valley Players - 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Ross, CA 94957. Ticket prices are $29 general admission, $25 for seniors 62+, and $14 for children (under 18) / student with valid ID. Thursday night tickets prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $10 for children and students with a high school or college ID. Preview night ticket prices are $15 general admission, $8 for children / students. Thursday, September 24th is "Pay What You Will" night ($10 Suggested).
Audience members are invited to participate in "Talkback" with the director and actors after the matinee performances on Sunday, October 4th & 11th. Buzz at the Barn, a pre-show cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres and wine, will take place on Saturday, September 19th at 7PM.
To order tickets, call 415-456-9555, ext. 1 or visit www.rossvalleyplayers.com.
Now in its 86th year, Ross Valley Players, a non-profit arts organization, is the oldest continually operating community theater on the West Coast. Created in 1930 as a way to escape the hardships of the Depression, Ross Valley Players has introduced live theater to thousands of Marin residents over the years. Each year, RVP presents a regular season of six full productions, running a total of 30 weeks. RVP offers special events and short-term productions outside the regular season. Plays include recent Broadway material, popular plays, classic theater, and a selection of works by well-known playwrights from around the world. RVP features all genres: comedy, drama, mysteries, and musicals. Their Ross Alternative Works (RAW) program presents short run, minimal set productions of original scripts by Bay Area playwrights in two festivals each season.
Pictured: Florence Foster Jenkins (Ellen Brooks) and Cosme McMoon (Daniel Morgan). Photos by Greg Le Blanc.
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