Pandora Productions Sets Casting for 2016-17 Season

Pandora Productions 2016-2017 Season was announced in March and begins in September. Recently Michael J. Drury, Pandora's Producing Artistic Director, conducted a week long audition search for just the right actors to fill the many roles in this season full of Star-Turns. After several weeks of deliberation the final cast list is available.

SWINGTIME CANTEEN: The Star-Spangled American Hit

byWilliam Repicci, Linda Thorsen Bond and Charles Busch

After 17 years with MGM, movie legend Marian Ames (Shannan Speicher) has endured four flop films in a row and is being put out to pasture. But there is no time for self pity. Marian has gathered up her gal pals from the Hollywood Canteen and headed for London to entertain the troops with the rip-roaringest canteen show of them all. Joining her are her stand-in on all of her pictures, Jo (Laura Ellis), her skittish niece Katie (Courtney Glenny), solid as a rock Topeka (Marianne Zickuhr) and leggy chorine Lilly (Carrie Cooke Ketterman). 30 vintage classic songs from the war years that will bring laughs, tears, emotional fireworks, air raids and a celebration of women during the war in this hilarious and heart-warming story.

Performances: September 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24 @ 7:30 p; 18 & 25 @ 5:30 p; & 24 @ 2:00 p

MOTHERS AND SONS by Terrence McNally

A 2014 Tony Nominee for Best Play, Mothers & Sons is a timely and touching new play that explores our evolving understanding of what it means to be a family. Funny, provocative, and poignant, this acclaimed drama explores who we are and who we love...today. It follows Dallas matriarch Katharine Gerard (Carol Tyree Williams) on an unexpected visit to New York to meet with her late son's former partner Cal (Shayne Brakefield), who is now married to Will (David Galloway) and raising Bud (Keegan Conner) their young son. Forced to consider the life her own son might have led, Katharine must now come to terms with her own life choices and how society has changed around her.

Performances: November 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 @ 7:30 p; 13 & 20 @ 5:30 p; & 19 @ 2:00 p

MY BIG GAY ITALIAN MID-LIFE CRISIS by Anthony Wilkinson

The third installment in Anthony Wilkinson's trio following the exploits of Anthony Pinnunziaato (Zachary Burrell) through weddings, funerals and now, a midlife crisis. As he approaches his '40s and is faced with the challenges of balancing his successful weight loss company with past and present relationships. Of course, it's even more difficult when you throw in your meddling Aunt Toniann (Kristy Calman) and best friends Connie (Susan Crocker) and Lucia (Jamie Shannon), not to mention the exuberant and over the top pitch man Larry (Jai Husband). As Anthony seeks the backing of wealthy investor Nathanial (Jacob Cooper) he is haunted by Andrew (Michael Lee Stein), his now estranged ex-husband.

Performances: January 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 @ 7:30 p; 15 & 22 @ 5:30 p; & 21 @ 2:00 p

THE NANCE by Douglas Carter Beane

A provocative protest romantic comedy set against a backdrop of burlesque. A headliner called "the nance" was a stereotypically camp homosexual and master of comic double entendre. At a time when it is easy to play gay and dangerous to be gay, Chauncey's (Jason Cooper) uproarious antics on the Irving Place Theatre stage with owner Efram (Jeff Ketterman) stand out in marked contrast to his offstage life where his dalliance with certain young man named Ned (Bryce Weibe) could put an end to all he holds dear. Full of humor and pathos set against this naughty and raucous world full of strippers: Sylvie (Anna Meade) a wise cracking Communist; Carmen (Mandi Hutchins) a not so south of the border vixen and Joan (Amanda Kyle Lahti) a sweet as pie vamp. is a tragic tale at the intersection of sexuality, self-image and identity.

Performances: March 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 @ 7:30 p; 12 & 19 @ 5:30 p; & 18 @ 2:00 p

HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH

book by John Cameron Mitchell, music and lyrics by Stephen Trask

From obscurity to infamy! A rock concert with political as well as psychosexual overtones. "Hedwig" tells the story of an East German "slip of a girlyboy" who becomes (almost) a woman, (almost) an American and (almost) a rock star. Hedwig's (Neill Robertson) persona may be as solid as the Berlin Wall she grew up behind. Foulmouthed, electrically tuneful and furiously funny, with explicit descriptions of its title character's bungled sex-change operation and erotic adventures. The Angry Inch, after all, refers not only to the band, but also to what was left of Hedwig's male genitalia after surgery. Joining her onstage is her husband Yitszak (Katherine Martin), himself a transgender musician.

Performances: May 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 @ 7:30 p; 14 & 21 @ 5:30 p; & 20 @ 2:00 p

Subscriptions for the 2016-2017 Season are available through the run of Swingtime Canteen. Single tickets for each production are available for $20 in advance and $22 day of show and are available online at http://www.PandoraProds.org, or via phone at 502.216.5502.