The Players Kicks Off Summer Sizzler Series with BEAU JEST

The Players Centre for Performing Arts is heating up with the first installment of the 2017 Summer Sizzler Series, the hilarious comedy, BEAU JEST. Written by James Sherman, this beloved play will get your summer off to the right start in what The Wall Street Journal calls "Very funny...The well crafted play has a lot to say about nuclear families of any ethnic persuasion."

Story: Sarah is a nice Jewish girl with a problem: her parents want her married to a nice Jewish boy. They have never met her boyfriend, a WASP executive named Chris Kringle (you read that right.) She tells them she is dating a Jewish doctor and they insist on meeting him. She plans a dinner party and, over the heated protests of Chris, employs an escort service to send her a Jewish date to be Dr. Steinberg. Instead, they send Bob Schroeder, an aspiring actor who agrees to perform the impersonation. Happily, he is extremely convincing in the role and Sarah's parents are enraptured. Soon, even Sarah falls for Bob.

Directed by Carole Kleinberg with assistant director Sandra Musicante and stage manager Chuck Conlon, this committed cast will give you the romantic comedy you want to see this summer. Costumes by Tim Beltley, lighting design by Owen Leonard and set design by Jeff Weber, will dazzle and amaze you in what the Chicago Sun Times calls "Hilarious and quite moving. Sherman wonderfully blends farce with a genuine insight."

Subscriptions are still available for purchase through the entire run of BEAU JEST. For just $45 you can get 1 ticket to each of the three Summer Sizzler shows plus 3 $10 gift cards to Caragiulo's Italian American Restaurant.

Performance Dates: June 14 - 25, 2017, June 14 at 7:30pm - Preview Night, June 15 at 7:30pm - Opening Night, June 15-17 and 22-24 at 7:30pm, June 18 and 25 at 2pm

Tickets: $18 Regular, $12 Students 24 and under with valid ID

Group rates: Groups of 10 - 24 save 25% ($18.75 each), Groups of 25 - 74 save 30% ($17.50 each). Groups of 75 or more save 35% ($16.25 each)

Cast: Samantha Hall as Sarah. Jesse Rosenfeld as Bob, Anthony Spall as Chris. Sara Logan as Miriam, David Meyersberg as Abe, Jeff Cima as Joel

Crew: Director - Carole Kleinberg, Technical Director - Ken Junkins, Costumes - Tim Beltley, Set Design - Jeff Weber, Lighting Design - Owen Leonard, Stage Manager - Chuck Conlon, Assistant Stage Manager - Sandra Musicante, Sound Engineer - Josh Linderman, Asst. Tech Director - Alyssa Goudy. Props Manager - Carole Goff, Master Carpenter - Bill Rusling