SOUVENIR Comes to the Blackfriars Theatre in September

Blackfriars Theatre will ring in their 76th season with the funny play, Souvenir, by Stephen Temperley, running September 4th-14th. 
 

Most classical music afficionados will at least have heard of the incomparable Florence Foster Jenkins and her “signature” sound. Infamous in the performance circles of her day, this real-life eccentric and wealthy socialite, believed she was an enchanting coloratura soprano. Unfortunately, Mrs. Jenkins couldn't sing. Told through the eyes of her long-time pianist, Cosmé McMoon, Souvenir depicts the true story of Jenkins’ sensational rise to stardom in all its costume-festooned glory, including her sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall!

Kicking off their 76th season with a relatively small two-person opener may seem like too small a swing for the leadership of Blackfriars Theatre, but they remain confident in its potential as a smash hit. “Those who have seen the 2016 Meryl Streep film, Florence Foster Jenkins, know that Jenkins lived a life that seems to have been tailor-made for theatrical comedy,” says artistic director, Brynn Tyszka. “The difference between seeing it on film and experiencing it live, however, is shocking. Even in early rehearsals, the absurdity is through the roof, and attempting to stifle belly laughs as this delusional, yet somehow completely lovable character warbles her heart out twenty feet from you is nearly impossible.”

What audiences might not expect from a script like Souvenir is its grounded message of hope, passion, and the power of music. This is just one of the reasons that the show’s director, Nathaniel Niemi, a Florida transplant and newcomer to Blackfriars, has been itching to get his hands on this play for years. “Souvenir is a hilarious, touching look at music, art, and legacy,” says Niemi. “One of my favorite things about the play is the way that Florence's accompanist and our narrator, Cosme, sees in Florence great reckless abandonment and full commitment to her art (even if it's a little pitchy)—qualities which Cosme struggles to find within himself. It is very moving to see Cosme discover a great care for Florence and a commitment to protecting her.”

As the script by Stephen Temperley celebrates the twentieth anniversary of its Broadway release this November, the powers that be at Blackfriars look to it to set the tone for the coming season. “Most of the scripts we feature this season approach topics, whether serious or not, from a place of humor, and we believe that’s something audiences are really yearning for right now,” says Tyszka. “There’s a reason that the Boston Globe commented that, ‘There weren’t many voices as bad as Jenkins’. There aren’t many theatrical experiences as good as Souvenir.’ We think audiences will agree, and we can’t wait to share the laughter with them as a joyful way to jump into the 76th season!”

Blackfriars Theatre provides an intimate theatre-going experience, with 126 seats in a wraparound configuration—audiences are never more than thirty feet from an actor on stage. Because of the limited seating, it is always recommended that patrons purchase their tickets early to ensure availability. Audiences can see Souvenir at Blackfriars Theatre from September 4th through the 14th.