MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET Opens Peninsula Players' Fall Season, Now thru 10/20

Peninsula Players Theatre opens its fall season Sept. 4 with Tom Dudzick's heartfelt and hilarious comedy of family, "Miracle on South Division Street." The final show of the 78th season will run tonight, Sept. 4 through Oct. 20 with a seven-week run, performances Tuesday through Sunday at 7 p.m. with Sunday matinees Sept. 28 and Oct. 20 at 4 p.m.

Every family has a story and the Nowaks have a doozey! Ever since Grandfather had a miraculous vision of world peace in his barbershop in 1942 the family has been tending and minding a shrine in memory of the vision. Clara runs a soup kitchen from the family house behind the barbershop in Buffalo, New York, and the kids were raised to respect the vision. A deathbed confession is about to shake them to the core.

Kristine Thatcher, who directed "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Over the Tavern" at The Players, returns to direct "'Miracle on South Division Street." "It's obvious that he (Dudzick) adored his own family," Thatcher said. "He writes so lovingly and humorously about each character. You care for every single one. He makes you laugh one minute and cry the next. And he does it without using any cheap tricks. He's really a brilliant playwright. Don't they call him the 'Catholic Neil Simon?' I think that's what I've heard, and they don't call him that for nothing."

Dudzick also wrote 'Greetings!' and "Over the Tavern." Both were well received at The Players.