COWGIRLS Closes At FST July 17

(Photo By Maria Lyle)

COWGIRLS to Close July 17

FST's hit country musical Cowgirls will close July 17 after an extension due to popular demand. The "energetic" musical is under the direction of Mary Murfitt (concept of COWGIRLS/composer/lyricist) and music direction by Mary Ehlinger (musical arrangments for COWGIRLS), and brings together six talented actresses-singers-musicians "for a thoroughly enjoyable evening of musical theatre." (SCENE Magazine)

Critics and audiences have been raving since COWGIRLS opened on Friday, June 8 in the Keating Theatre, as part of FST's Summer Season. Audience members are seen dancing in the aisles and singing into the streets after the show, as well as touting the show as "excellent," the actresses as "chock full of talent," and the production as "superb quality! We had such a blast!" Area critics have said COWGIRLS

"is a warm-hearted, feel-good, tug-on-your-heartstrings experience from start to finish" (Marty Fugate) and "strikingly beautiful and moving" (Paula Atwell for Pelican Press).

Additional performances are: Wednesday, July 13 at 8PM; Thursday, July 14 at 8PM; Friday, July 15 at 8PM; and Sunday, July 17 at 3PM.

What is unique about the show is that each actor plays several instruments during the production: five guitars, two violins, two mandolins, a cello, an accordion, an autoharp, two ukuleles, a piano, a banjo, a tambourine, a harmonica, a bucket, and a washboard.

Cowgirls tells the story of Jo (played by Angela C. Howell) and her saloon in Rexford, Kansas, staffed with sidekicks Mickey (Chelsea Costa) and Mo (Emily S. Grosland). To raise enough money to save Hiram Hall, Jo books the Cowgirl Trio to play a honky tonk performance sure to bring down the house. When the classical Coghill Trio (Sarah Hund as Mary Lou, Franca Vercelloni as Rita, and
Joanna Parson as Lee) shows up on the saloon doorsteps booked by mistake, the female group must find their inner-twang and go from Chopin to Country and save the debt-ridden saloon from foreclosure.

Single tickets for COWGIRLS range from $29-$34 for regular performances. Single tickets may be purchased from the FST Box Office in person or by calling (941) 366-9000 or online at www.FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

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