By LOIS KINDLE
If you enjoy classic screwball comedies, you won’t want to miss Savannah Sipping Society, the first mainstage play this year at Veterans Theater in Kings Point. It’s the delightful story about four women in the midst of major life changes who meet by happenstance, form the bond of friendship and help each other move with their lives.
“One is a recent divorcee, one a caregiver who just lost her sibling, one who lost her job and one whose spouse recently died,” said co-director Kevin Steinke, of the Pelican Players Community Theater. “Everyone in the audience will relate with one or more of these characters because they’ve been through similar experiences of their own.”
Steinke’s sister, co-director Julie Ramsey, agreed.
“It’s a funny take on serious stuff, a love story between friends,” she said. “Basically these women become family.”
Each of the women is distinct in character, age, background and temperament.
“You wouldn’t think these women would ever become friends,” said actor Cyd Charrow, who plays the role of Dot Haigler, a recently widowed, retired schoolteacher with health issues. “But they’re lonely in a new town and stuck in their lives.”
Savannah Sipping Society, was written by playwrights Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. It’s a face-paced play filled with zingy one-liners and good-natured humor.
Joining Charrow in the cast are Jennifer Meier as the recently unemployed Randa Covington, a perfectionist and workaholic; Lucy Malacos as Marlafaye Mosely, a recently divorced liquor distributor; and Donna Fiore as Jinx Jenkins, a wannabe life coach whose sister just passed away.
Additionally, Dawna Efford appears in a brief cameo as Grandma Covington.
Audiences have a choice of four performances: Thursday, April 27, at 7 p.m.; Friday, April 28, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, April 29, at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Each two-act, four-scene play is about two-and-a-half hours long, including a 15-minute intermission.
LOIS KINDLE PHOTO
Cast members of Savannah Sipping Society gather during a break in the play’s April 13 rehearsal at Kings Point. From left is Donna Fiore, Cyd Charrow, Jennifer Meier and Lucy Malacos. Missing from the photo is Dawna Efford, who has a cameo appearance in the upcoming comedy.
Doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain.
Tickets are on sale at the Kings Point Box Office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, and at the door before each show. They’re $16 for the evening performances and $13 for the Saturday matinee. Seating is cabaret-style or bleachers.
All performances will take place at the Kings Point Veterans Theater in the North Clubhouse, 1900 Clubhouse Drive, Sun City Center.
Carolann Olson is the show’s stage manager and James Williams, is its set builder and designer. Laurie Failing is responsible for sound effects and a team of eight to 10 is in charge of props and costume changes.
Founded in 1981, the Pelican Players Community Theater is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization. Proceeds from its performances benefit the Pelican Players Scholarship Fund with the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, which provides funding for graduating Hillsborough County students pursuing careers in the arts.