Theatre XP Announces 2016 Summer Stage Season

Key West’s eclectic TheatreXP has announced its program for the annual Key West Summer Stage, set to run Wednesdays through Sundays, June 29 through July 31 in Key West. The schedule includes two cutting edge, award-winning plays, a new play reading, and will once again feature its theatresymposium panel discussions. Summer Stage is centered at the Red Barn Theatre in Key West.

“This will be our sixth season for Summer Stage,” said TheatreXP founder and artistic director Bob Bowersox, who with partner, filmmaker Quincy Perkins, created Summer Stage in 2011. “We wanted to make sure we remained true to our reputation for power and edge on the stage, and we’ve found two great examples of that for our mainstage productions.”

Opening this year’s Summer Stage June 29 through July 10 will be Joshua Harmon’s hilarious and irreverent “Bad Jews”. It will star Jessica Jackson, Kaleb Smith-Wood, Jeremy Hyatt, and Lisa Elena Monda. It will be directed by Annie Miners.

Harmon’s laugh-out-loud play tells the story of Daphna Feygenbaum, a New York “Real Jew” with an Israeli boyfriend who becomes outraged when her cousin Liam brings home his shiksa girlfriend Melody and declares ownership for her of their recently-deceased grandfather’s Chai necklace – an inheritance of high emotional and religious significance. A vicious and hilarious brawl over family, faith, and legacy ensues. The play won the Lucille Lortel Award and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award.

“I don’t know the last time I laughed so hard just reading a play,” Bowersox said. “It’s adult, it touches many hot buttons, and it may be the funniest play we’ve ever produced.”

The New Yorker called the play “…funnier than anything you’ll find…”. The NY Times said “…delectably savage humor…the best comedy of the season.”

The second mainstage production, “Water by the Spoonful” by Quiara Alegria Hudes, will run July 20 through July 31. The hard-hitting play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2012, and is without any doubt worthy of the honor. It will star Luis Febo, Melody G. Moore, Paula Cabot, Karl Stahl, Tammy Shanley, Bowersox, and Tony Konrath. Bowersox will direct.

The story revolves around Elliot, who has just returned from Iraq, and his cousin Yazmin, who is struggling with where her own life is going. These two find themselves awash on a very unique stage representing separate cities where recovering addicts are connected through an online recovery chat room run by their aunt, trying to keep each other alive, hour by hour, day by day. The play is a powerful and heartfelt meditation on lives on the brink of redemption. It will be directed by Bowersox.

“This is TheatreXP’s métier,” Bowersox said. “Tough, thought-provoking, intimate, and revealing of what it is to be — at our core – human. I was blown away when I saw it the first time.”

Talkin’ Broadway said of the play, it’s “…provocative and brimming with life…”. The NY Times called it “…shimmering…sustaining…vibrant with humor…”.

Sandwiched between these powerhouse productions will be two one-night-only events. On Monday, May 11 at 7 pm, TheatreXP will again represent Monroe County in the South Florida Theatre League’s statewide New Play Reading Festival with a staged reading of playwright Bowersox’s newest play, “The Return”. The play centers on a news anchor who one night on the air declares himself the returned Jesus Christ. The reading is free, and will feature some of Key West’s finest actors. Bowersox’s previous plays, “Moment of Grace” and “The Poetry of Hearts” began their development in these readings and went on to stellar productions.

And on Monday, May 18 at 7 pm, Summer Stage’s popular theatresymposium will return with a panel discussion on “Playwrights and Putting Words on A Stage”. Top local and regional playwrights will discuss their method and the trials and tribulations of getting a play out and up. Audience participation is encouraged. The symposium is also free of charge.

“The symposia are always one of our most popular events,” Bowersox said. “It’s a great way to get a peek inside what it takes to make great theatre.”

Reserved seat ticket prices for the plays will range from $25-$35. Special “Season Passes” are available at $55 that allow entry to all Summer Stage events. Until June 10th, all tickets can be had for the “Early Bird Price” of only $25. For tickets and information, call TheatreXP at 302-540-6102 and visit keywestsummerstage.com

Season Sponsors for Key West Summer Stage 2016 are Royal Furniture, The Grand Café, Design Group Key West, Digital Island Media, Blue Heaven, and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]