RED PEPPER Plays Venue Actors Studio Throughout October
"RED PEPPER" is a Story about Florida Politics, but it's also a story about love, friendship, family and eventual betrayal.
The play, which takes place during the election of 1950, tells about beloved Sen. Claude Pepper, and his doomed race against his former protégé, George Smathers.
"Claude and Mildred Pepper never had any children," recalled actor Tom Bronson who plays Smathers in "Red Pepper." "So Smathers was the closest thing that they had to a son.
"I think Smathers goes in with the best of intentions and believes in a higher purpose," Bronson continued. "He wants to go in and do the right thing, and it's not until later that he really starts to see that he did kind of stab his friend in the back."
It made the contentious race all the more personal as Smathers' supporters showed that no low was too low, said "Red Pepper" playwright Suzanne Willett. The election had strong racial undertones and red-baiting, as Pepper's opponents stopped at nothing to unseat him.
"Pepper's opponents had a 48-page booklet of reasons why people shouldn't vote for him," Willett said. "For example, it had in it a picture of Pepper shaking hands with author Paul Robeson, who was both African-American and a Communist."
Jared O'Roark, who plays Claude Pepper, said he didn't know much about the man or about his role in Florida politics before auditioning. Working on this play has been a learning experience for him one that he says challenges him as an actor. However, he was touched by the love story between Claude and his wife, Mildred.
"Suzanne Willett's done a really nice job of this husband and wife relationship and it's really very beautiful," O'Roark said. "I tend to be drawn to human relations more than anything else. The connection between husband and wife was very nice and very drawn-out."
Dana Kovar, who plays Mildred Pepper, said she enjoys playing strong, southern women like Mildred. Kovar said it must have been difficult for Mildred to be as strong and outspoken as she was during a time when women were expected to be quiet and just go along.
"I can see her in my head," Kovar said. "She's southern and I can see her using that genteel southern accent which I like to use. She was very well mannered, but outspoken. In that time period, she couldn't be too outspoken."
Though the story takes place more than 60 years ago, Willett said she thinks "Red Pepper" is a very timely play given the mud-slinging and personal attacks that characterize today's political races.
"I think the way the politicians character assassinate each other is a way of not talking about the real issues," Willett said. "It‘s all about how they can besmirch the other guy."
The show will run for three weekends: October 7 and 8; 14 and 15; and 21 and 22. All shows start at 8 p.m. at the Venue Actors Studio, 9125 U.S. Highway 19, N. in the Mainlands Shopping Center in Pinellas Park. Tickets are $15 or $7 (for students with valid ID) with a small handling fee.
A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions at St. Petersburg College. The primary mission of the institute is to create hands-on educational opportunities for students, including helping them to travel to Washington, D.C. in order to see first-hand how government works.
For more information about "Red Pepper" and the Venue Actors Studio, visit the play's website at www.redpeppertheplay.com.
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