BWW Previews: MONKS GONE WILD at Carrollwood Players Theater

Opening at Carrollwood Players Theatre on June 2 is Michael Hollinger's hilarious comedy about the Dark Ages, INCORRUPTIBLE.

Described as "Monks gone wild," by director Jim Russell, INCORRUPTIBLE tells the tale of the Abbey of Priseaux in 13th-century France. France has gone broke because St. Foy, the patron of the local monastery, hasn't generated a miracle in thirteen years. The monks are reduced to charging peasants a penny a prayer.

In other words, the Dark Ages are pretty grim.

All hope rests on the Pope, whose promised visit might encourage other pilgrims to make the trek and restore the abbey to its former glory. Unfortunately, a rival church claims to possess the relics of St. Foy-and "their" bones are working miracles. All seems lost until the destitute monks take a lesson from a larcenous one-eyed minstrel, who teaches them an outrageous novel solution to its combined crisis of faith and economy. How far will the monks go to twist their ethics to accommodate their needs?

Their hilarious decision leads to questioning- does the ends justify means.

INCORRUPTIBLE offers a farcical assortment of monk and peasant misfits, featuring the talented cast of Ron Pandolfo as Charles, Abbot of Priseaux; William Chamblee as Brother Martin; Jim Johnson as Brother Olf; Douglas Ronk as Brother Felix; Trish Farber as The Peasant Woman; Miguel E. Rodriguez as Jack, a one-eyed minstrel; Penni Willen as Marie, Jack's wife of sorts; Leanne Germann as Agatha, Abbess of Bernay; and Donald LaClair as A Wandering Monk.

"This play is hilarious because it reveals the outrageous depths human beings will go to for cash. You can't miss this top-drawer cast," said Jim. "This cast has worked incredibly hard to create a motley band of medieval characters that are riotously funny. They've been fantastic to work with."

Carrollwood Players is located at 4333 Gunn Hwy. INCORRUPTIBLE runs Friday, June 2 through 17 with performances at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 3pm on Sundays. Tickets are $23 general admission. Advance tickets can be purchased at https://carrollwood-players-theatre.ticketleap.com/incorruptible/.