TheatreZone Partners with FGCU to Present GODSPELL this Fall

Mark Danni, artistic director of TheatreZone in Naples, announced today that the non-profit Equity professional theatre group will partner with Florida Gulf Coast University's Bower School of Music & the Arts to produce the Tony-nominated musical Godspell.

Based upon the gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke in the Bible as told by playwright John Michael Tebelak and composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Pippin and Wicked), the story focuses on the life of Jesus and his earliest followers and features songs in styles ranging from pop to vaudeville.

Director Mark Danni has assembled a cast of professional actors (members of the Actors Equity Association) and FGCU students. Karen Molnar will choreograph and Robin Frank (a FGCU faculty member) will music direct as well as play the piano.

Equity actors include Alex Jorth as Jesus. Jorth returns to TheatreZone after his debut performance as the charismatic Frankie in the season 9 finale production of Forever Plaid. TheatreZone fan favorite Gerritt VanderMeer (also a FGCU faculty member) has a brief scene as John the Baptist and the announcer of the coming of the messiah. VanderMeer also plays Judas, shifting his character from good to evil with the drop of a parable. Carolann Sanita-VanderMeer (another FGCU faculty member) most recently seen as Tracy Lord in TheatreZone's production of High Society will play one of the disciples. Daniel Schwab, who has acted in several TheatreZone productions including Little Women, Grand Hotel and 110 in the Shade, has also been cast as a disciple.

The six other disciples will be played by FGCU theatre students and the live band will be conducted by music director/pianist Robin Frank, accompanied by FGCU music students playing guitar, bass and drums.

Godspell will take place in the cozy 100-seat FGCU Theatre Lab located in the Arts Complex on the campus of FGCU at 10501 FGCU Boulevard South in Fort Myers. The production is a run of five shows taking place Thursday, October 2 at 8 pm, Friday, October 3 at 8 pm, Saturday, October 4 at 2 pm and 8 pm and Sunday, October 5 at 7:30 pm. Tickets cost $45 and $40 per person plus a $2 per ticket fee are available by calling TheatreZone at 1-888-ZONE-FLA, 1-888-966-3352 or purchased online at www.theatrezone-florida.com.