2009-2010

OOO uuu rrr 888 000 ttt hhh SSS eee aaa sss ooo nnn

Presents

A Shot in the Dark

A Comedy By Marcel Achard,

Adapted by Harry Kurnitz

Directed by David Middleton

October 8-18, 2009 302 Seminole Street, Clearwater, FL 33755

(727) 446-1360 www.FrancisWilsonPlayhouse.Org

Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc

2

From the President’s Desk

To our members and friends

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) recently published a brochure entitled Arts Participation 2008 – Highlights from a National Survey. What a dry subject, you might say. What caught my attention initially was the statement in the summary: Between 2002 and 2008, the

percentage of U.S. adults attending arts events declined for every art form except musical plays. Oh my!

As I dug deeper into the report, and the underlying survey data, I found some other items that made me sit up: Straight play attendance fell 24% between 2002 and 2008; The median age of attendees of plays and musicals combined rose from 39 to 44 between 1982 and 2002, and further to 46 by 2008; Falling attendance is more marked in people aged 45-54, but right on the average for 18-24 year olds.

Active participation is even worse. The surveys show that the number of people involved in bringing live theatre to us the audience has fallen by 75% for musicals and 50% for straight plays since 1982.

None of this is really a huge surprise: we are experiencing falling attendances here at the Playhouse, and have been for a few years. We worry about it, and endlessly discuss possible reasons. We consider the economy, the demographics of our audiences, the types of shows we present, the quality of those shows, and so on. The hundreds of volunteers that are involved strive for and deliver their very best efforts to make all of this possible. But still the attendance numbers fall, and worse, the costs still rise. We talk with our counterparts at other local theatres, we join discussion groups online at the Community Theatre Green Room, at the American Association of Community Theatres and on TheatreFace. All confirm the picture painted by the NEA.

This is the time of year that the Playhouse’s finance committee meets and prepares a budget for the next calendar year. We forecasted our revenues (flat or slightly lower) and estimated our costs (higher), and now we are negotiating with the stakeholders to try to make the two meet. It’s tough. At times it’s heart-wrenching. But, it has to be done.

Ah, well, enough of that – you came here to enjoy yourselves: Leading Ladies played last month to very appreciative houses; next month we will be graced by Irving Berlin’s wonderful musical Annie Get Your Gun, and today you are about to be delighted by Marcel Achard’s Shot in the Dark.

So to the cast: Merde!, and to you: Bon Spectacle!

/ Graham Jones

3

Francis Wilson Playhouse

Benefactors

Executive Co-Producers M/M Bruce Black

Angels

Mrs. Nancy Neef Carnaby Ms Eleanor Jones M/M Robert Vest Ms Patricia S. Smith

Patrons

Ms Bobbi Wileman Adair M/M David Ford Mary & David Macdaid Mrs. Patti Baldwin LTC/Mrs. Peter Graubard M/M Gisella Monus M/M David Camburn Dr Paul & Maureen Gualtieri M/M Richard Mucciolo Mr. Donald Carroll M/M Joseph Hall Ms Jimmie Parker M/M Charles Carter Ms Dianna Hanger Mr. Michael Paysan M/M Joe Corbett Ruth & Rogers Hedberg Mr. Charles Possick M/M Charles DeBlaker M/M Robert Isinger M/M Egon Schreiner Mr. Bruce & Karen DeFelix M/M Tony Johannesmeyer Satendra & Marie SinghDr Helen Dexterr M/M Graham Jones M/M John Stockman M/M Henry Durlacher Ms Ann Kessler Elvina/Donald Tuttle M/M Allen Edelman Ben & Virginia Loper Steven & Mary Ann Whit M/M James Foit

Sustainer Members Mr. Howard Eddy Ms Eddy Licht Mr. William Rockenfeller Mrs. Babs Michael

We apologize if your name was inadvertently left off this list.

Please contact our box office as soon as possible for a correction of any oversight.

================================================= 2009-2010 Season Memberships

9 Show Extended Season ............................................................... $150 8 Show Season................................................................................ $135 6 Show Season (6 consecutive shows)........................................... $125

Francis Wilson Playhouse Benefactor Memberships “Sustainer Member” ......................................................................... $175 “Patron” (2 seats per show) ............................................................. $350 “Angel” (4 seats per show)............................................................... $750 “Executive Co-Producer” (6 seats per show)................................$1,100

Box Office (727) 446-1360

4

5

Francis Wilson Playhouse

Clearwater, Florida

Board of Directors

Graham Jones ................................................ President Andy Rufo.......................................... 1st Vice President Babs Bailey .......................................2nd Vice President Cory McBride .................................................Treasurer Peggy Reay-Jones......................................... Secretary Kathleen Goelz ..................................... VP Investments Cherie Albury ....................................................Director David Camburn .................................................Director Dianna Hanger ..................................................Director Patricia Bates Smith .........................................Director Chick Svboda ....................................................Director Jules Vickers .....................................................Director Patti Baldwin ................................ Chair - First Nighters Sam McClelland ...........Chair – Dorothy Ellison Society

6

7

A Shot in the Dark A Comedy

By Marcel Achard, adapted by Harry Kurnitz Directed by David Middleton

Director’s Notes:

Although A Shot in the Dark is best known as a film in the Pink Panther series, its origins as a play have nothing to do with Inspector Clouseau. The French playwright Marcel Achard wrote the first version, L'Idiote, in 1960. In just a four-year span, the play was given an English translation, a yearlong run on Broadway, and a feature film adaptation. Even though, on the surface, the story (that of a saucy parlor maid discovered unconscious, nude and holding a gun with her lover dead beside her) does not seem a likely source of comedy, this superb cast has risen to the occasion. They have brought to life the characters, giving each a distinct personality and persona, while bringing out all the comedic flair of the script. As with all well-crafted comedy scripts, a more serious subject runs underneath the surface. Equal justice under the law emerges as the important theme here, as the upstanding young magistrate puts his career on the line in the face of social and political pressure. It has been a tremendous privilege to work with this extremely talented group of actors, actresses and backstage crew to bring this show to life. We hope you enjoy our efforts.

8

9

Meet the Director David Middleton

David is excited to be back for his fifth appearance as a director at Francis Wilson Playhouse. He has won Lary awards for his direction of the comedy, Rumors at Francis Wilson Playhouse; the musical, 70 Girls 70 for St. Petersburg Little Theatre; and the drama, Driving Miss Daisy for Island Community Theatre. As an actor, David has also been seen onstage at Francis Wilson Playhouse, SPLT, West Coast Players, Oakhurst Theatre Company and the Early Bird Dinner Theatre. Additionally, he has produced and directed corporate shows and sales presentations.

Synopisis of Scenes

Act I, Scene 1:................ Paris, 1962. The chamber of the examining ............................................................................. magistrate; afternoon Act I, Scene 2:.............................. The same. Two days later; morning Act II, Scene 1:............................................. The same. Moments later Act II, Scene 2:........................................... The same. Later in the day

Cast In Order of Appearance

Paul Sevigne ............................................ Jason Osorio Morestan ..................................................... John Smith Lablanche..................................................... Bill Harber Antoinette Sevigne...........................Barbara Cardinale Josefa Lantenay...................................Jessica Ormsby Madame Beaurevers........................Rhiannon Mooney Monsieur Beaurevers..................................Rick Osorio Matron ......................................................... Cathy Hunt

Meet the Cast

Barbara Cardinale (Antoinette Sevigne) Barbara moved from Ohio to Florida in 2002 to pursue her education in literature and library science. In high school, Barbara was a very involved thespian, playing Mrs. White in Clue and Miss Hanigan in Annie. Barbara is thrilled to be involved in theatre again and would like to thank David Middleton, the director for casting her, and her parents for encouraging her to pursue her love of the

stage.

10

11

Bill Harber (Lablanche) Bill has enjoyed working in Community Theatre for the past 12 seasons and received Lary Awards for West Coast Players’ Bus Stop, and last season for Francis Wilson Playhouse’s Rumors. Bill enjoys working with such a unique cast in A Shot in the Dark under the direction of David! Bill has also worked at Eight O’Clock

Theatre in Largo, P.A.G.E.S. in Safety Harbor, Dunedin Showcase Theatre. Bill performs daily at a local carpet store. Thanks to my wonderful wife, Karen, for her putting up with my many characters!

Cathy Hunt (Stage Manager and Matron) Cathy is happy to return to FWP as Stage Manager. She thanks David for giving her the opportunity to work with him on such a fun show. She has enjoyed working with this talented cast and hard working crew. Break a leg everyone! Thanks for all the laughs. Rhiannon Mooney (Madame Beaurevers) Rhiannon is happy to be treading the boards again at the Playhouse. She has previously worked here in Dial "M" for Murder, The Foreigner and A Nice Family Gathering. After majoring in theatre in college and moving to Florida from Illinois, she has been active in numerous theatres in the area. She was most recently seen as Natalie in Natalie

Needs a Nightie at the Early Bird Dinner Theatre. She would like to thank David for the opportunity and special thanks to her parents and fiancé Ron for continual love and support.

Jessica Ormsby (Josefa Lantenay) Jessica is pleased to be making her Playhouse debut with this talented cast. Having appeared on SPLT and EOT stages, she was very excited to be cast in A Shot in the Dark. Thanks go to her family and friends for their support and the “Gilmore moments” that make every day extraordinary. Her favorite roles include Annelle, Sr. Robert Anne, and My Fair Lady servant. Enjoy the show!

Copper boom!

Jason Osorio (Paul Sevigne) Jason has been involved in theatre for quite some time, and this is his third play here at Francis Wilson Playhouse. After The Full Monty and Something’s Afoot, playing Paul Sevigne is both an honor and a privilege and Jason would like to thank his family, the cast, crew, and director of A Shot in the Dark.

12

13

Rick Osorio (Monsieur Beaurevers) Rick is a longtime resident of Clearwater, and happy to be in this production, especially with his son Jason. He is married, and has a daughter, Nikki, who is an accomplished dancer and actress herself. This is Rick’s second production at the Playhouse, his first being a steel mill worker in The Full Monty. He thanks his family and friends for their support and the cast for the opportunity to

work with them.

Dr. John Patrick Smith (Morestan) If it is a comedy, then I want to be part of the show. For it is in giving to the community, of yourself, the medicine of laughter, you receive a reward multiplied by each spectator’s smile. Thank you to the director, other cast members, my wife and family for the opportunity to give.

Production Staff Director .............................................................. David Middleton Stage Manager.......................................................... Cathy Hunt Set Design & Construction ................................... Jim Demetrius Costumer .................................................................... Mitzi Mess Lighting Design............................................................Andy Rufo Lighting Technician ............................................. Dianna Hanger Back Stage Crew.....................................................Mary Hanger Box Office .......................................................... Gabrielle Snapp Producer .............................................................. Dianna Hanger

Copyright laws prohibit the use of cameras or any recording devices.

Concert Series

Hits From the Flops November 28, 2009 2pm & 8pm

For Thanksgiving weekend we look at some great songs from shows that were considered “turkeys” in their time. Learn how tunes like “All The Things You Are”, “As Time Goes By” and “He Touched Me” grew to hit status, despite being featured in unfortunate shows.

14

Advertise in our playbill – See choice of sizes below. For pricing information contact

Gabrielle Snapp, Box Office Manager, 727-446-1360.

A full season subscription reaches a circulation of over 15,000. Benefits include show ticket coupons to give to your customers.

15

16

We are pleased to introduce you to "The Dorothy Ellison Society." The name honors a great lady whose contributions to the theatre spanned more than 60 years. She was one of our earliest members as a young woman, and stayed active as an actor, director, member of the Board, President of the Board and every other job there is in the theatre. In 1999, the auditorium was named after her to recognize her lifetime of achievements in our community and its theatre.

To join this prestigious group at the “Ensemble” level, all you need to do is make a donation of $50 or more to the Playhouse. Of course, we would like you to make an annual commitment at whatever level of giving that you can afford, so that we can be assured of not only being able to keep bringing you quality shows, but also to build a new theatre to replace our aging edifice. To make that as easy as possible, you can sign up for a monthly commitment using your credit card; just $10 debited each month gives you “Performer” level.

Society Recognition Levels:

"Founder" $5,000 or more

“Benefactor" $2,500 - $4,999

"Director's Circle" $1,000 - $2,499

"Star" $500 - $999

"Player" $250 - $499

"Performer" $100 - $249

"Ensemble" $50 - $99

The roster of Society members will be preserved indefinitely, and will appear on a “Founders” display plaque in the new theatre.

Members will receive: A certificate of membership

Recognition in the Theatre lobby Annual luncheon

Special invitations and information

17

Coming November 5, 2009

Annie Get Your Gun

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin Book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields

Revised by Peter Stone

Our production of this wonderful musical from Irving Berlin is the version Peter Stone updated in 1999. Like the original, it ran for well over 1,000 performances on Broadway. Stone re-structured the new version as a “show-within-a-show,” using the Frank Butler character to introduce the players and the action, instead of moving them and it from boarding house to a train and then on to an arena and a Grand Tour of Europe. He extensively revised the orchestrations, partly to allow for smaller ensembles – in the process making it a better show for community theatres – as well as collecting two Tonys, two Drama Desk awards and a Grammy!

By the time that you read this, another major production of Annie will have been running for over a month in London’s West End, no doubt to wildly enthusiastic audiences.

Like all fun musicals, the plot is simple. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. They fight. They fall in love again. Repeat until all ends happily ever after. This time the backdrop is a wild west show in the Big Top, and the conflict between the lovers revolves around who is the better shot. We know the answer – it’s Cupid!

We all know and love many of the numbers in Annie – There’s No Business Like Show Business, Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly, Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better come readily to mind, but don’t forget the appealing The Girl That I Marry, nor the evergreen You Can’t Get a Man With a Gun. These are songs that bring a smile to your lips and joy to your heart. It is no small wonder that There’s No Business Like Show Business became the unofficial anthem of the American stage, and entirely understandable that half the songs in this show have become ‘standards’ for hundreds, if not thousands, of popular singers all over the world.

Jason Fortner is both director and choreographer, and he is joined by Mark Jelks as music director. We are looking forward to seeing another great cast Jason has assembled. See you there!

18

The First Nighters

Left to Right: Kay Slade, Evelyn Shambough, Pat Hinds,Jan Withopf, Ruth Padrone, Glenda Robinson,Patti Baldwin, Ann Shortway, Stella Coe, Sunny Kovarick

The Francis Wilson Playhouse First Nighters will be hosting a special premier on November 4, 2009 for Annie Get Your Gun. These ladies are a “one-of-a-kind” group, a charity within a charity. This group of ladies are fundraisers for Francis Wilson Playhouse and are involved in many projects. They sponsor two or more premier performances of FWP productions which include a champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception each year to benefit the theatre. They sell all the tickets, decorate the lobby, sell 50-50 cash prize tickets, conduct raffles and drawings for door prizes that they have acquired from local merchants. A major advantage the First Nighters bring to FWP is they attract an audience different from our normal season members, who in many cases have never been to FWP before. The money they raise, normally around $4,000 per performance, is used for special updates to the theatre which are outside our operating budget and a welcome contribution to our building maintenance. They have a special project in the works so stay tuned for more details. We can’t say enough about these fine ladies and we can’t heap enough praise on their enthusiastic leader, Patti Baldwin. A heartfelt thank you to all the ladies and especially their dynamic leader Patti Baldwin.

19

A Special Thanks To Our Contributors

General Fund

Deborah A. A’Hearn Milton and Kay Hooper

Donations in kind and (Furnishings, Costumes Props, etc)

Cherie Albury M/M H. William Isaly Hildegard Andreas Eleanor Jones M/M David Camburn Babs Bailey Peggy and Graham Jones Michael Crawford Dolores and Ronald Buckley Charles Kubecka Dee Ray Crews Alan & Stephany H. Dawson Mary and David MacDaid Mrs. Helen Dalzell Charles & Karleen DeBlaker Anita and Sam McClelland Patricia and Pat Moran Rich & Shelly Dennis Babs Michael Charles Napier Dorothy M. Dutcher Marguerite S. Sharkey Sharon Price Carol Enters Mrs. Ida Swartz M/M Thomas P. Evans Terry Sue Turner

Lillian and Claude Washabau

Dianna and Mary Hanger Betty and Jay Waxenberg Welcome Home Relocation Mary Ann White Ms. Shirley Wyckoff

Theatre Building Fund In Memory of Larry Banks

In Memory of Henry Baldwin

Deborah A’Hearn M/M Glenn Blair Ms Debbie Baldwin M/M. Thomas Evans Jennifer Blair Ms Delores Baldwin Mary Fitzpatrick Thella Brooks Mr. Joseph Baldwin Ruth and Rogers Hedberg Joan M. Dewey Ms Lori Baldwin Kim and Rob Hedin M/M George Krissinger Ms Marci Baldwin Janice B. Hill M/M Clifford Perry Evelyn Kolkmeyer Roberta and Raymond Hoopes M/M Richard Philpott M/M Robert Kontey James D & Susan Larsen Tom Poddi M/M Jerry Lorch Dr. Harold & Mrs. Olive Lehmus Nancy and Jim Nadin M/M Michael Schmitt Anita and Sam McClelland M/M George Roby The FWP First Nighters Thomas H.& Kathryn J. Meachum

Nancy and Randolph Spoth

M/M John Wookey Beverly and Donald Taylor

Anna Marie and Frank Turk

We apologize if your name was inadvertently left off this list.

Please contact our box office as immediately for a correction of any oversight ________________________________________________________________________

20

Francis Wilson Playhouse Upcoming Events 2009-2010

Visit us at www.FrancisWilsonPlayhouse.Org

Annie Get Your Gun Musical

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin, Book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields,

November 5-15, 2009

S M T W T F S1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30

November

Concert Series Hits From the Flops

November 28, 2009 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm

November 28, 2009

A Christmas Carol Musical Drama

Dramatization by Sam McClelland, Book by Charles Dickens December 10-20, 2009

S M T W T F S1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31

December

Side Show Musical

Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell, Music by Henry Krieger January 14 – 24, 2010

S M T W T F S1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 910 11 12 13 14 15 1617 18 19 20 21 22 2324 25 26 27 28 29 3031

January

Concert Series A Night at the Operetta

February 13, 2010 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm

February 13, 2010

Harvey Comedy

By Mary Chase

February 18-28,2010

S M T W T F S1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728

February

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Musical Book by Burt Shevelove and Laarry

Gelbart, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Soundhein

March 18-28,, 2010

S M T W T F S1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

March