'You Can't Take It With You' - Pulitzer Winning Comedy At Florida Rep

By: Beau Higgins Jan. 23, 2010

Pulitzer Prize Winning Comedy Opens at Florida Rep

Florida Repertory Theatre announced the opening of Kaufman & Hart's Pulitzer Prize Winning comedy, You Can't Take It With You.

Opening Feb. 5, with discounted previews Feb. 2, 3 & 4, You Can't Take it With You is a timeless, light-hearted comedy with a touching message about love, acceptance, individuality and one lovable family's wacky pursuit of the American Dream.

"I have directed this play three times, and so obviously it is very special to me," said Florida Rep Producing Artistic Director and the play's director, Robert Cacioppo, "because, at it's heart it's a play about family and remembering what is important in life. But it's also brilliantly funny, heartwarming and has a very poignant message - especially in hard times."

You Can't Take It With You is a funny classic, that chronicles the unlikely pairing of Tony Kirby and Alice Sycamore. Tony is the son of a Wall Street banker, while Alice comes from a flock of very odd ducks. The Sycamores spend their days contentedly doing what pleases them, whether it's writing plays, playing the xylophone, raising snakes or dabbling in homemade pyrotechnics. And when the uptight Kirby's arrive for dinner on the wrong night, the stage is set for a wildly funny clash of family values featuring the zaniest cast of characters ever assembled in the Historic Arcade Theatre.

The production stars Broadway and screen veteran, David S. Howard as the family's patriarch, Martin Vanderhof. Now a familiar face at Florida Rep, Howard was seen most recently in The Last Romance, Indian Blood, Visiting Mr. Green and Tuesdays with Morrie.

Audiences will see new sides of Carrie Lund (Boeing-Boeing, The Last Romance), Chris Clavelli (Art of Murder, Dancing at Lughnasa) and Lisa Morgan (Shirley Valentine, Doubt), some of Florida Rep's most familiar faces, at their absolute wackiest. Lund will be showcased as Alice's mother, the freethinking painter who dabbles in playwriting because one day a typewriter was left on the doorstep. After an appearance in Opus, Clavelli will trade in his violin for a toga as one of the many colorful family friends, and Morgan will double as Tony's repressed mother, and as Olga Katrina, a deposed Russian royal now working as a New York waitress.

New to Florida Rep, are Avi Hoffman, John West and Christine Perez. Out of Miami, Hoffman is a Drama Desk Nominated actor (Too Jewish?) who makes his Florida Rep debut as Boris Kolenkhov, the Sycamore's Russian ballet instructor. As the young lovers, Mr. West comes to the Rep after appearances in two recent national tours (Drowsy Chaperone, The Producers), while Ms. Perez comes from the Orlando area as a recent graduate of UCF.

Also featured in the ensemble cast are Florida actors, all of whom have appeared with Florida Rep in the past, Bruce Somerville (Born Yesterday), Christine Peete (Sugarbean Sisters), Dick Westlake (Mornings at Seven) and Miami-based actor, John Archie (Mockingbird). The cast also showcases the Rep's Acting Interns, Daniel Benzing (Indian Blood), Adam Jones, Emily Ryan and Jackie Schram, as well as local actors, Alex Perez and Michael Burnette.

Robert Cacioppo directs the production and is joined by set designer Richard Crowell (The Last Romance), lighting designer A. Nelson Ruger, IV (Shirley Valentine), costume designer Roberta Malcolm (Boeing-Boeing) and stage manager Linda Harris (Art of Murder).

Kaufman & Hart's You Can't Take It With You plays at Florida Rep Feb. 5-26, with discounted previews on Feb. 2 at 8pm, Feb. 3 at 2pm and Feb. 4 at 8pm. Performances are Tues. - Sat. at 8pm, with 2pm matinees on Wed., Sun. & selected Saturdays with a special Twilight Performance at 7pm on Feb. 7.

You Can't Take It With You is sponsored by John & Marjorie Madden and Madeleine Taeni.

Subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale through the box office at 239-332-4488, ask about the 4 Show Flex Pass for just $141. Single tickets are priced at $42 & $38, and $25 & $20 for previews.

Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the Historic Arcade Theatre on Bay St. between Jackson & Hendry with free parking in the Fort Myers River District. Visit Florida Rep online at www.floridarep.org.

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