Village Players expands its season with laughter

Anything Goes is up dance rehearsal: Back Row: Andrew Haugh, Chris Shermerhorn, Emily Cottle Front Row: Christina Pinciotti, Rhianon Cowden, Jake Drouillard Photo credit to Chris Jagodzinski.

Chris Jagodzinski is looking forward to a few firsts for the Village Players which recently released its 2013-2014 season of comedies and will soon introduce its young adult theater group.

"I will be producing for the first time. Our president of the board, Jacob Gordy, will direct for the first time," said the vice president of development and public relations.

The Upton Players, featuring actors ages 15 to 21, will make its debut July 11 through July 14 with Anything Goes.

"We have known for many, many years there is a lack of exposure for actors outside of high school. To put on a show in a theater that is not affiliated with a college or high school is a completely different experience. We are basically building a younger acting pool and broadening our talent pool," Jagodzinski said.

The Village Players is expanding its offerings this 57th season to attract more people to the stage and in the seats so the theater group has chosen its season based on audience feedback.

"Our patrons requested a season of comedies, and they are getting a season of comedies," he said.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers, September 6-September 21, features an overweight, middleaged married man who tries to join the sexual revolution before it's too late. Lettice and Lovage, November 1-November 16, stars a theatrical embellisher who challenges a conventional inspector to a battle to the death. Queen of Bingo, January 10-January 25, 2014, highlights the relationship between two sisters and the characters they meet in the bingo hall. The Liar, March 7-March 22, 2014, sparkles with romance and mistaken identities when a charming young liar falls in love. Proposals, May 9-May 24, 2014, recalls the last time a family gathered for a retreat and their entanglements there.

"I love the fact that a couple of our shows such as Proposals and Last of the Red Hot Lovers will be looking for talent that has not been on our stage in numerous years. We're going to be bringing new talent to the stage." The same holds true for the Upton Players, he said. "Ninety-five percent of those actors have never acted on the Village Players stage."

Swamp Season

BOWLING GREEN - The Black Swamp Players will kick off its 2013-2014 season with a tall tale about making a deal with the devil in The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon September 13-September 22.

A group of ill-mannered children will deliver The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, when they tell the Christmas Story in a unique way during a church play December 12-December 14.

Eliza Doolittle learns to become a proper lady while teaching her tutor a thing or two about love in My Fair Lady February 14-February 23, 2014.

A comedy with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and crazy antics closes the Swamp season with two rival country clubs teeing off in The Fox on the Fairway March 28-April 6, 2014,

All performances will be at the First United Methodist Church, 1506 E. Wooster St., Bowling Green.

Please send theater items at least two weeks in advance to jnjaim@theblade.com.