'VANYA AND SONIA,' THE MOUNTAINTOP & More Set for Gulfshore Playhouse's 2014-15 Season

Gulfshore Playhouse is preparing their 2014-2015 season with six diverse productions, running from October to April.

"I am thrilled to produce six wonderful plays in our upcoming season! From brand new works to classics, we are committed to providing a wide spectrum of theatre to Naples audiences," states Kristen Coury, Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Gulfshore Playhouse.

Opening the 2014-2015 season is The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, playing October 4-19, with $30 previews on October 2nd and 3rd. On the eve of his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. returns to room 306 at the Lorraine Motel. A feisty and attractive maid arrives with coffee and turns out to be much more than she appears, prompting him to confront his life, his legacy, and the future of his country. Playwright Katori Hall invites us to take a closer look at the man behind the myth: a flesh and blood human, who, despite his flaws and spiritual fatigue, worked tirelessly to achieve the dream of liberty and justice for all. Come join us on the journey to The Mountaintop.

In November, Gulfshore Playhouse will bring Annie Baker's Body Awareness to the stage. Body Awareness will play November 1-16, with $30 previews on October 29th and 30th. From one of America's hottest young playwrights comes a play that cleverly skewers liberal pretentions and turns political correctness on its head. With wit and empathy, and a frank point of view, Annie Baker snaps a picture of a nontraditional modern American family struggling to make things work. When an unexpected guest arrives, questions of sexuality and self-identity come up. Often hilarious and touching, this play illuminates many of the struggles families face in today's tumultuous times.

Beginning a new holiday tradition in the Naples community, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol by Tom Mula will be back on Gulfshore Playhouse's stage in Decemer 2014; playing December 6-21, with $30 previews on December 4th and 5th. In a magical departure from the Dickens classic, Jacob Marley finds himself in Hell and the adventure begins. This theatrical tour-de-force brought dazzlingly to life by Cody Nickell will move you in unexpected ways. It is a marvel to behold, as this production leaves everything and nothing to the imagination. Look with new eyes at a story that you think you know as you follow Marley through the streets of London, Christmases past, present and future, heaven, hell, and the dimensions beyond. This journey of laughter and terror, redemption and renewal is sure to warm your hearts and bring you home.

Starting the Spring 2015 portion of the season will be the Broadway hit Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang and will play January 17 through February 8, 2014 with $30 preview preformances on January 15th and 16th. In this uproarious Tony-Award winning play by Christopher Durang, Vanya and Sonia are joined by their overbearing sister Masha, her hot new young lover Spike, their next door neighbor Nina, and a soothsaying house keeper named Cassandra. Borrowing liberally and hilariously from Anton Chekov, Durang creates a play that explores family, rivalry, jealousy, and just how funny misery can be.

Opening in late February will be The Butcher by Gwydion Suilebhan. This compelling drama was featured in Gulfshore Playhouse's First Annual New Works Festival in August 2013, and will play from February 28 through March 22, 2015 with $30 previews on February 25, 26, and 27th. The Butcher tells the tale of two strangers: Jane, an Evangelical Christian struggling with her faith and Massoud, and Iranian Halal Butcher steeped in tradition, who together witness a peculiar and shocking event. As they and their families try to make sense of these bewildering circumstances, they question their faith, their firmly-held beliefs, and the choices that their cultures have forced them to make.

The final production of the 2014-2015 season will be David Ives' The Liar based on the play by Pierre Corneille, which will play April 4-26, 2015 with $30 previews on April 2nd and 3rd. The Liar takes us to Paris in 1643 and our hero is everything a hero should be: charming, charismatic, handsome, passionate. His only flaw? He cannot tell the truth. Paired with a manservant who cannot tell a lie, this comic dynamic duo take on all that 17th century France can throw at them. Wordplay, swordplay, mistaken identity, romance, wit, and a few big whoppers combine to make this romp an unforgettable night at the theatre.

Gulfshore Playhouse is passionately devoted to creating high-quality professional theatre at affordable prices and diverse educational opportunities for our region. Producing a full season of plays ranging from venerated classics and Broadway hits to contemporary plays and world premieres, Gulfshore Playhouse is committed to surpassing the standards of every valued patron while continuing to contribute to the vibrant arts and culture scene in Southwest Florida.

All shows are presented at the Norris Center, 755 8th Avenue South, Naples. Current subscribers can renew their subscriptions by calling the Gulfshore Playhouse administrative office at (239) 261-7529 until February 17th, when subscriptions are open to the public. Early bird subscriptions are available until March 10th when single tickets go on sale. Subscriptions can be purchased by calling the box office at 1-866-811-4111 or visiting our website at www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org. For more information, please call 239-261-PLAY (7529).

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