Cast Announced For APPROACHING ZANZIBAR At The Sauk

The Sauk, Hillsdale County's community theatre, will open their 2021 SaukSeconds season with Tina Howe's "Approaching Zanzibar." The show will feature a cast of Sauk veterans. Performances are April 15-18, 2021.

When Charlotte Blossom's beloved Aunt Olivia, a famous and eccentric artist, is dying of cancer, the whole family -- husband Wally, a composer with writer's block; son Turner, a classical guitar prodigy; and daughter Pony, a girl with a fearful imagination -- take a road trip all the way from New York to Taos, New Mexico, to say goodbye. Along the way, they encounter an adorable newborn, a precocious psychic, mysterious nighttime noises, and the knowledge that we are born as fish, and to fish we do return. The play is both intimate and grand, a glorious and magically absurd romp through a vast American landscape and the inner workings of the human family, and the human heart.

The cast includes Tiffany Thatcher (Homer) as Charlotte, Timothy Brayman (Adrian) as Wally, Noah Bryant (North Adams) as Turner, Ellie Gray (Jonesville) as Pony, Steven Owsley (Jackson) as Randy Wands/Scotty Childs, Meaghan Bryant (North Adams) as Palace St. Johns/Dr. Sybil Wren, Jacob Gray (Jonesville) as Fletcher St. John/Amy Childs, Mari Nunez (Hillsdale) as Joy Childs/Dalia Paz and Roene Trevisan (Camden) as Olivia Childs. The production is directed by Trinity Bird with stage management by Mandee Leigh Howard. The design team includes Bird (set/costumes), Angela Forant (lighting), MJ Dulmage (sound) and Cyndi Baldermann (properties). Kary Swiontek is serving as sign language coach.

"This has been a play I have wanted to direct for 20 years," Bird said. "One of my college directing professors gave me the script and I have been obsessed with the complexity of the story ever since."

Performances are at 8 p.m. on April 15-17 with a 3 p.m. matinee on April 18. All performances take place at the Sauk Theatre, 240 E. Chicago St. in Jonesville, Michigan. All tickets are $10. Seating is limited and available seats are socially distanced. Masks are required at all times while inside the theatre. Tickets can be purchased at www.thesauk.org or by calling 517-849-9100. The April 15 performance is a "Pay What You Can" preview. Preview tickets are not sold in advance.

"Approaching Zanzibar" is part of The Sauk's SaukSeconds season. The SaukSeconds season contains productions designed to inspire, nurture, challenge and educate. This production includes strong language and content that may not be enjoyed by all audiences.