The Studios of Key West announces the return of “Prime Time”

Continuing its mission to present the kind of theater you can’t see anywhere else, The Studios of Key West announces the return of “Prime Time,” a new musical comedy by Blake Hunter and Charles Lindberg. Tickets are now on sale for the production, which runs for a limited engagement of ten shows January 28 through February 8. 

One of the smash hits of last year’s season, Key West theater reviewer Joanna Brady says “Prime Time” is “…a witty, urbane musical with dialogue that’s tight, snappy, and crisp; the whole combination is wildly entertaining.”

The show is the latest creative venture by Blake Hunter, a Key West resident with numerous Emmy nominations and several BMI TV music awards. He served as a writer on the hit show “WKRP in Cincinnati,” Executive Producer on “Diff’rent Strokes,” and went on to co-create “Who’s the Boss?,” which ran for eight years and was syndicated all over the world.

The story takes place on the set of “The Jerry Cherry Show,” a once wildly popular variety show that’s lost its magic. Diana Cherry (Maribeth Graham) may be the show’s top executive and “the first female show-runner in Tinseltown,” but it’s her husband Jerry Cherry (Michael Castellano) who gets all the acclaim. With Jerry’s outsized ego, wandering eye, and extramarital exploits splashed across the tabloids, Diana has more to worry about than the show’s sinking ratings.

Enter Marty Davis (Jeremy Zoma), a comic whiz hired by the network to usher in a younger audience. Marty may be just what the show needs, but when it turns out his interest goes deeper than just resuscitating the ratings, Diana is faced with a whole new set of problems.

Under the direction of Murphy Davis, and with the help of musical director Debra Barsha and choreographer Kyla Piscopink, the script takes off, propelled by commanding performances and a whiff of classic TV nostalgia. Rounding out the production are top local and national actors including Kristen Michelle, Erin McKenna, and Barry Tarallo, among others.

“Prime Time” opens January 28 at The Studios of Key West’s Helmerich Theater, 533 Eaton Street, and runs Tuesday through Saturday nights through February 8, with shows at 8pm. Ticket prices range from $100 to $50, with discounts for Studios’ members, and can be purchased at tskw.org or by calling 305-296-0458.

Watch highlights from last season’s production of “Prime Time” at https://vimeo.com/338915704

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