Ross Valley Players to Kick Off 85th Season With THE FOX ON THE FAIRWAY, 9/11

Ross Valley Players opens their 2014 - 2015 season which celebrates their 85th anniversary with the madcap comedy, The Fox on the Fairway, a hilarious farce by the incomparable Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo).

A tribute to the great English farces of the 1930s and 1940s, The Fox on the Fairway takes audiences on a hilarious romp which pulls the rug out from underneath the stuffy denizens of a private country club. Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, it's a furiously paced comedy that recalls the Marx Brothers' classics. A charmingly nutty adventure about love, life, and man's eternal love affair with... golf.

The Fox on the Fairway begins with a preview on Thursday, September 11th and runs through Sunday, October 12th. Opening night is Friday, September 12th at 8PM. For more information, visit www.rossvalleyplayers.com.

Bingham (Louis Schilling), president of the Quail Valley Country Club, is in a difficult position: the annual grudge match against the Club's rival is only a few days away and he's just discovered that the golfer he thought would play for his club has switched sides, recruited by his counterpart and opponent, the arrogant Dickie (Javier Alarcon). On the line is a huge bet Bingham foolishly wagered with Dickie. Fortunately, he discovers that his newly hired hand Justin (Derek Jepsen), who is in love with Louise (Lydia Singleton) the waitress at the club house, is actually quite a good golfer and finagles his nomination into the country club. Justin does not disappoint and has a huge lead when the tournament is interrupted by bad weather. When Justin learns that Louise has lost the engagement ring he gave her he becomes unglued. The game resumes the next day, but Justin loses the lead and takes an unfortunate swing breaking his arm. Bingham is desperate, and the appearance of his wife Muriel (Sumi Narendran) complicates the matter as she catches him much too close to Pamela (Eileen Fisher), his sex-starved vice president. Can Bingham find a replacement for Justin to win the game, win the wager, and get his life in order? Fox on the Fairway is directed by Julianna Rees. Production Manager is Mark Toepfer.

Fox on the Fairway cast: Javier Alarcon as Dickie, Eileen Fisher as Pamela, Derek Jepsen as Justin, Sumi Narendran as Muriel, Louis Schilling as Bingham, and Lydia Singleton as Louise.

Performances are Thursday, September 11, 2014 (Preview Night) through Sunday, October 12, with Opening Night on Friday, September 12 at 8PM. Regular Thursday performances are at 7:30PM; Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM; Sunday matinees at 2PM. (Please note there is no matinee on Sunday, September 14.) 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 $25 for seniors 62+; $14 for children (under 18) and student with valid ID; $29 general admission. Preview night ticket prices are $10 for children and students; $15 general admission. Thursday night tickets prices are $14 for children and students with a high school or college ID, $23 for adults.

Audience members are invited to participate in "Talkback" with the director and actors after matinee performance on Sundays, September 21 and 28. Buzz at the Barn, a pre-show cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres and wine, will take place on Saturday, September 13 at 7PM. To order tickets, call 415-456-9555, ext. 1 or visit www.rossvalleyplayers.com.

Now in its 85th 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: Derek Jepson as Justin; Lydia Singleton as Louise in Fox on the Fairway. Photo by Robin Jackson.