Gulfshore Playhouse to Present THE GAME'S AFOOT, 2/21-3/16

Gulfshore Playhouse will present the hilarious-whodunit-meets-screwball comedy, Ken Ludwig's The Game's Afoot February 21st through March 16th, with a $25 preview performance on February 20th.

This new play from master of comedy Ken Ludwig, the playwright who brought us The Fox on the Fairway, brings murder, mystery, mayhem and madcap adventure to our stage. Broadway superstar William Gillette, famous the world over for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, has invited fellow cast members to his opulent home for a dinner party. But when one of the guests winds up dead, Gillette will have to summon every ounce of Sherlock he can to solve the mystery. This play will keep you laughing and trying to figure out whodunit until the final bow.

Ken Ludwig is an internationally acclaimed playwright whose many hits on Broadway, in London's West End and throughout the world have made his name synonymous with modern comedy. His shows have won him the Laurence Olivier Award, England's highest theatre honor, as well as three Tony Award nominations and two Helen Hayes Awards. His work has been commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and has been performed in thirty countries in over twenty languages. Ken Ludwig is also the author of the popular Lend Me a Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo.

On Sunday, March 2nd, Ken Ludwig will do an exclusive talkback following the matinee performance, as a part of Gulfshore Playhouse's Synergy Series. Mr. Ludwig will speak about his illustrious career and answer audience questions. You must have a ticket to the 3pm show on March 2nd to attend this talkback.

On Monday, March 3rd, Gulfshore Playhouse will be presenting Page to Stage, featuring a Universe Premiere of the first act of two of Ken's brand new plays in a staged reading format. The reading will begin at 3:00pm, and will be followed by an opportunity for the audience to ask questions and give feedback. Tickets to this exclusive event are available now and are $20 each.

"I am truly honored that Ken will be here to watch our production of his play, and thrilled that he's willing to talk with our audiences after the show. I look forward to working with Ken on his two hot-off-the-presses works," states Kristen Coury, Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Gulfshore Playhouse.

The Game's Afoot will be directed by Michael Marotta. Michael has directed The Fox on the Fairway at Hot Summer Nights Theater and Flat Rock Playhouse in North Carolina. Michael spent seven seasons as Artistic Director for The Theatre Barn in the Berkshires, where he directed more than twenty-five plays and musicals. An accomplished cabaret director and performer, Michael has twice been the recipient of both the BACKSTAGE Bistro Award and the Mac Award for his solo shows in his home town of New York City.

William Gillette will be played by Gulfshore Playhouse's Artistic Associate, Cody Nickell. Naples audiences will recognize Cody from last season's 'Art' and The Whipping Man, and this season's Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol. Cody also directed Gulfshore Playhouse's productions of Something Intangible and God of Carnage. Cody's other theatre credits include: The Taming of the Shrew (Helen Hayes Nomination), Arcadia (Helen Hayes Nomination), The School for Scandal, Macbeth; Woolly Mammoth: Clybourne Park (Helen Hayes Nomination), In the Next Room, or the vibrator play. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, Cody is a three-time Helen Hayes Award nominee and the winner of The Connecticut Critics' Circle Award.

Martha Gillette will be played by Barbara Kingsley, whose credits include over two hundred productions- from Broadway to regional theatres across the country. Regionally, Barbara has appeared at the Guthrie Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, St. Louis Rep., Cincinnati Playhouse, Berkeley Rep., The Alley, La Jolla Playhouse, and Arizona Theatre Co. Barbara's writing credits include a screenplay and three stage plays. Barbara is a recipient of a MSAB/National Endowment for the Arts Artist Initiative Grant for her play, Under This Roof and the 2013 MRAC Next Step Grant for her play, I am Proof Of Me.

Christopher Gerson will be playing Felix Geisel. Christopher's theatre credits include Hamlet and Twelfth Night at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew, MacBeth, Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing at The Great River Shakespeare. Christopher has also appeared at St. Louis Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory, The Fulton Opera House, and The Actor's Gang.

Madge Geisel will be played by Emily Townley. Emily resides in Washington, DC, where she is a member of the Acting Company at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Her Woolly productions include Detroit, A Bright New Boise, House of Gold, Maria/Stuart, Spain, Fuddy Meers, Wonder of the World , and Watbanaland. Emily has also appeared at the Studio Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Round House Theatre, and the Folger Shakespeare Theatre.

Zac Hoogendyk will play Simon Bright. Zac's past credits include The Grapes of Wrath at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Shakespeare's R and J at the International Shakespeare Festival in Neuss, Germany, In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play at the Cleveland Play House, Beauty and the Beast at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, and The Life and Death of King John with New York Shakespeare Exchange. Zac is a company member with AMIOS, New York Shakespeare Exchange, and Heiress Productions, a non-profit theatre company designed to raise funds for cancer research and relief.

Aggie Wheeler will be played by Alexis Hyatt. Alexis's credits include Scapin at New York Classical Theatre, The School for Scandal at The Gallery Players, and To Kill a Mockingbird at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. She has also appeared in The Importance of Being Earnest, Les Liasions Dangereuses and Amadeus at Northern Stage.

Julia Brothers will be playing Inspector Goring. Ms. Brothers recently appeared in George is Dead at Magic Theatre, George Street Playhouse, and Arizona Theatre Company. Julia then moved with the production to Broadway in Relatively Speaking, three one act comedies by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen, directed by John Turturro. Her San Francisco and Bay Area credits include Pacific Repertory Theatre, SF Playhouse, TheatreWorks, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company, and Magic Theatre. Julia was named MVP for Theatre by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Daria Chase will be played by Claire Brownell. Gulfshore Playhouse audiences will remember Claire from A Streeetcar Named Desire, The Importance of Being Earnest, and the First Annual New Works Festival in August 2013. Claire appeared on Broadway and in the National Tour in The 39 Steps. She has also performed regionally at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Shakespeare Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Shakespeare on the Sound, The Huntington Theatre, and Hartford Stage.

Take advantage of our exclusive dinner deal with the The Chapel Grill. With a ticket purchase to Gulfshore Playhouse, enjoy exclusive access to a special early dining menu featuring 3 courses and a glass of wine for $29.95. Reservations for this Early Bird Special can only be made between 5:00-5:45pm. Gulfshore Playhouse patrons who make a reservation after 5:45pm will receive $5 off a two course meal, or a $10 off a three course meal at regular menu pricing. To take advantage of this special dinner deal, call The Chapel Grill for reservations at (239) 206-4310 and provide their Gulfshore Playhouse e-mail ticket confirmation when they visit the restaurant. This deal is valid only on the date a patron is attending a Gulfshore Playhouse production.

Gulfshore Playhouse will be presenting their 4th Annual "Bubbles, Baubles, and Broadway" Gala Fundraiser celebrating their 10th Anniversary and honoring long time Board Chairman Bob Harden on February 27, 2014 at the Naples Beach Hotel. The event will feature Broadway and Opera singer Leah Edwards, who starred in Gulfshore Playhouse's production of Master Class last season and a large silent auction with jewelry provided by Tiara Fine Jewelers. This is a night you won't want to miss! Tickets are $300 per person, $500 per couple, and $2000 per table.

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.

Gulfshore Playhouse's production of Ken Ludwig's The Games Afoot will play February 21st through March 16th, with a $25 preview performance on February 20th. Single tickets start at $33. Half-price tickets are available for all matinee performances one-half hour before the show. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 1-866-811-4111 or visiting www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org.

Gulfshore Playhouse's 2013-2014 season will culminate with family drama All My Sons. All shows are presented at The Norris Center, 755 8th Avenue South, Naples.