'Dinner With Friends' At The Waterfront

The Key West Players at the Waterfront Playhouse continue their smash-hit season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Dinner With Friends, by Donald Margulies. A bitingly funny look at contemporary relationships, Dinner With Friends is "full of life, warmth, laughs and wisdom," according to The New York Daily News. Directed by Rich Simone, the play will feature Lawrence Cohen, George diBraud, Lisa Esposito and Earl Halbe. One of most lauded plays of recent time, Dinner With Friends will run January 24 until February 10 at the Waterfront Playhouse. Curtain time is 8:00 pm.

Dinner With Friends follows the story of four best friends, two long-lasting marriages and one sudden change. When one couple announces they are divorcing, emotional tremors ripple through the foursome. However, as each side of the story comes out, the four are forced to renegotiate their relationships with each other, ultimately discovering how resilient relationships truly can be. A witty and keen-eyed exploration of friendship, marriage, love and conflict, Dinner With Friends strikes a universal chord, whether you are 21 or 101, male or female, gay or straight. Time said Dinner With Friends is "filled with such intelligence and spiky humor that this comedy/drama becomes something quite wonderful."    

Playwright Donald Margulies is one of the best writers for the theatre on the scene today. He is the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories (both finalists for the Pulitzer Prize), as well as the recent Broadway hit, Brooklyn Boy. Dinner With Friends began at the famed Actor's Theatre of Louisville, and then moved onto South Coast Repertory, eventually to Off-Broadway and an HBO film starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Andie McDowell and Dennis Quaid. However, Dinner With Friends makes its most profound impact on the stage. In addition to winning the 2000 Pulitzer Prize, Dinner With Friends has also been awarded The American Theatre Critics New Play Award, The Lucille Lortel Award, The Outer Critics Circle Award and The Dramatists Award.

Rich Simone is one of the busiest directors in town. He directed last year's hits The Rocky Horror Show (also playing Riff Raff) and Jerry Herman's Showtune at the Red Barn. At the Waterfront Playhouse he directed last season's popular production of The Graduate. This year he will be directing the concert version of Follies for the Key West Pops and South Pacific for Island Opera, both at The Tennessee Williams Theatre. He will round out his season with Bat Boy, the Musical at the Red Barn. While in Miami, he was a Carbonell-winning designer and director, as well as running the Miami Shores Performing Arts Theatre.

Lisa Esposito and Earl Halbe will play Karen and Gabe. Ms. Esposito has appeared in several productions for the Key West Theatre Festival. She is also an award-winning visual artist. Earl Halbe has appeared at the Waterfront in The Graduate as well as A Streetcar Named Desire and The Miser. He was the director of the recent Key West High School production of A Doll's House and appeared in the Founder's production of Amadeus.

George diBraud and Larry Cohen play Beth and Tom. Ms. DiBraud has appeared at the Waterfront in many productions including playing Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire, Spike Heels and Black Comedy. At the Red Barn she has appeared in Breaking Legs, The Food Chain and How I Learned To Drive. Lawrence Cohen was also in the Waterfront's production of Spike Heels, as well as Popcorn with Kelly McGillis, Lemon Cookie and The Sunshine Boys. He and actress/wife, Jenn Cohen are the proud parents of Orielle, a 6-month old baby girl.

Tickets are $30 (opening night tickets are $35) and can be reserved by calling the box office at 305-294-5015 or they can be booked online at www.waterfrontplayhouse.com. The opening night of January 24^th will include a gala post-performance reception to meet the cast and will be held in the sculpture garden in front of the theatre. Sponsored through the generosity of Rita Linder and Perry Arnold, the party will be catered by Great Events. Also, call the box office about their locals special.

For the performance of January 25^th the Waterfront Playhouse will be implementing a pay-what-you-can night. Many theaters across the country are trying this concept as part of their season in order to open theater doors to the entire community, regardless of economic means. The Players are asking that patrons pay whatever they can afford (CASH ONLY) for this one evening's performance of this terrific play. There is no reserved seating, and tickets will be given at the door.   

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