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For further information, call: Bob Bowersox at 302-540-6102

For Immediate Release

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Key West’s Red Barn Theatre will present the fourth online offering of its 41st season with a streaming production of Jane Martin’s funny and provocative “Sez She”, starring a stellar cast of 16 of Key West’s top female actors, directed by the Barn’s artistic director, Joy Hawkins.

The show will run March 8-20 and can be accessed through the theater’s website at redbarntheatre.com. Tickets are only $10, with viewing available 24/7 on any platform with an internet connection, be it TV, phone, or tablet.

The Barn has had great success with its previous three streaming offerings online, “The Big Bang” and “Love, Loss and What I Wore” last Fall, and the hilarious Christmas and New Year’s hit, “With Bells On.” The quality of the shows and the performances shine through in the streamers, and response has been positive.

“Sez She” is the late Martin’s final play in a series that has featured the broad perspectives on life of modern-day women, told in a series of intimate and revealing monologues. Two previous plays, “Talking With” and “Vital Signs”, have won numerous awards, including the American Theatre Critics Best Play Award. Martin, herself, has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for another of her plays, “Keely and Du”.

“Sez She” offers humorous and outspoken takes on everything from the fun of regressing to our childhood to the grownup "wheeee" of sex, from celebrating Damn Fools Day to the virtues of being green (yes…the color green). They touch chords of hilarity, surprise, homespun philosophy, frustration, and even political commentary. Each and every one of them has you hanging on every word.

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The actors in the play are: Susannah Wells, George DiBraud, Caroline Taylor, Carolyn Cooper, Erin McKenna, Marjorie Paul Shook, Jessica Miano Kruel, Amber McDonald Good, Gerri Louise Gates, Melody G. Moore, Nicole Nurenberg, Zoe Hawkins-Wells, Vanessa McCaffrey, and Mimi McDonald.

“These are women who are caught in some way,” Hawkins said, “and I guess we’re all caught in our own particular moment – our background, our station in life, and what we do with it. They take you through all kinds of reactions – warm, enthusiastic, flabbergasting, humorous, outspoken. They tell it like it is, with deep truths that any woman – or man – can relate to.”

Hawkins comment is an interesting one, given that there has always been a controversy over exactly who Jane Martin really was. The prevailing theory is that “she” was actually a man named John Jory, who founded and produced the prestigious Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, KY, where many of Jane Martin’s plays had their world premieres. Martin never gave an interview, and never appeared at any awards ceremony where her plays were honored. Jory, himself a playwright, was asked point-blank if he was “Jane Martin”, but he refused to answer the question, saying only “I’m not going to talk about that.”

Whether written by a man or woman, Jane Martin’s “Sez She” is a powerful, engaging, provocative play perfectly tuned to the times we are living through right now. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune called it

 “…enormously entertaining, more like a Disney World ride aimed at adults. Lean back, take a deep breath, and grasp the handrail firmly.”

Sounds like it’s well-worth the $10 ticket. Patrons will also have the opportunity to add a supporting donation when they check out – a quick and easy way to help support the Red Barn’s efforts to keep theater alive while we fight through these difficult times.

For more information, visit redbarntheatre.com or call 305-296-9911.

PRESS RELEASE
For further information, call: Bob Bowersox at 302-540-6102

For Immediate Release

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“The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
 Gang aft a-gley.”

Those iconic lines from Robert Burns’ famous poem “To A Mouse” seem to be quoted a great deal these days, as the pandemic continues to force more and more well-laid plans to be postponed, if not cancelled altogether.

Such is the case with Key West’s Red Barn Theatre, which recently announced it’s carefully-planned 41st Season, which was to take place outdoors under the stars in the venerable theater’s spacious Zabar Courtyard. They called their season theme “Outside the Box” – taking their live productions to their outdoor stage, where social distancing and open spacing would greatly reduce the anxiety of possible COVID infection.

“We had a beautiful stage designed and ready to go,” said Managing Director Mimi McDonald, “which would have kept the audience back about twelve feet. And we’d worked out several protocols regarding spaced out seating by pods, bar service, and were even looking into designing digital programs that could be accessed by your mobile phone.”

It might have worked, but it became apparent that city guidelines regarding entertainers – where they must either be separated from their audience by a Plexiglas partition, or wear masks during their performance – were not going to be feasible for a live theater performance, even outdoors. And concern for the well-being of their patrons as the virus cases were increasing and expecting to continue to do so was put foremost in management’s mind. For the safety of all, the decision was made to postpone until conditions improve.

So until the pandemic abates, or vaccines are more widely available and effective, the Red Barn will hold off on proceeding with their season. This includes the World Premiere of Hy Conrad’s new play, “Quarantine for 2”, planned for January, as well as the planned live performances of Bess Wohl’s “Cats Talk Back” in February, and Jane Martin’s “Sez She” in March.

The Red Barn is going to continue with their streaming offerings however, following the enthusiastic reception of their first online streaming production of Nora and Delia Ephron’s “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” which completes it’s run Saturday.

“We’ll be making an announcement soon on what will be available in the New Year,” said McDonald, “but fans of theater and supporters of the Red Barn should make plans to catch the free streaming of Darrin Hagen’s hilarious ‘With Bells On’, which will run from December 16th through the 20th on our website, redbarntheatre.com.”

“With Bells On” was a smash hit for the Red Barn last Christmas season, directed and costumed by Christopher Peterson and starring Trey Gerrard and Don Bearden. It’s a very funny play about a meek and mild accountant trapped in an elevator with a flamboyant drag queen on Christmas Eve. To view the play, just go to redbarntheatre.com and click on the link for the play.

For now, the Red Barn will continue to monitor developments and the city’s guidelines, and as soon as it is deemed safe, will resume their season of live performances. But for now, it’s a wait-and-see game, as it is with most everyone else.

“We’ll be back,” said McDonald. “But for now, let’s all stay safe and do what we can, which for us, is to offer our online streaming theatrical events. We’ll see you soon.”

For more information on the Red Barn, visit redbarntheatre.com.

PRESS RELEASE
For further information, call: Bob Bowersox at 302-540-6102

For Immediate Release

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The pandemic hasn’t left us much to laugh at, but the Red Barn Theatre will have us rolling on our couches for a week and it won’t cost us a dime. As a free holiday gift to all their fans and supporters, the Red Barn will be streaming a film of their 2018 Christmas hit, “With Bells On”, the hilarious play written by Canadian Darrin Hagen. The original production – a sold out smash hit – was directed and (outrageously) costumed by Christopher Peterson and starred Trey Gerrald and Don Bearden.

The free HD quality streaming will be available 24/7 on the theater’s website, redbarntheatre.com, beginning at midnight, Wednesday, December 16th and running through 11:59 pm, Sunday, December 20th. No tickets or sign-ups are required. Just go to the website and click on the link provided for “With Bells On”.

The play is centered around an elevator -- the only thing on the stage. And it’s stuck between floors. Ted (Bearden) appears to be a short, quiet, emotionally unassuming, dweeb accountant who has entered the elevator in his not-so luxurious apartment building, where he’s been living since his recent divorce. Standing next to him – or maybe “towering” over him would be more appropriate – is Natasha (Gerrald), a six-foot-seven-inch (in heels) drag queen dressed like a Christmas Tree, who is completely beside herself because this stalled elevator will cause her to miss her chance to be crowned Christmas Queen in the holiday pageant at the Magic Crystal Palace downtown.

If you’re thinking this is a perfect set-up for some hilarity, you’d be correct. You’re going to laugh a lot. The juxtapositioning of two such opposite characters in such a situation is full of comic possibilities, and Hagen takes complete advantage of them all. The puns and comic lines fly fast and furious, as Ted and Natasha try to find a way to extricate themselves from circumstances neither of them is comfortable in.

But the play is about more than that. Because Ted is not the sadsack milquetoast we initially think him to be, nor is he a prig or homophobe. He actually grows curious about the exotic creature he’s met. And this interest begins to work some magic on an initially hostile Natasha.

As all Key West theaters in this tough time, the Red Barn is struggling to make ends meet, and while they’re more than happy to entertain their friends and patrons for free this holiday, they would not be unappreciative for any donation you might want to make. While you’re there for “With Bells On”, you can click on their “Tickets” page and then on “Donation” and make a donation toward helping the Barn keep the lights on. Any donation is tax deductible.

For more information, visit redbarntheatre.com or call 305-296-9911.

PRESS RELEASE
For further information, call: Bob Bowersox at 302-540-6102

For Immediate Release

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“Loved it! So well produced!”

“Loved every second…the actors superb, the technology and synchronization amazing.”

“Loved this production...it worked so well online…brilliantly directed, and fabulously acted.”

These are just a few of the unsolicited email comments from patrons who have viewed the Red Barn Theatre’s smash hit online production of Nora and Delia Ephron’s “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” originally scheduled for just a five-day streaming availability as the first production of their new 41st season of professional theatre

But with a response like that, and more demand for extended viewing options, the Red Barn decided that an extra week of online availability for the show was warranted. So the hilarious play – starring five of Key West’s top actresses – has been extended and will remain available online through 11:59 pm on December 5th. Patrons can visit the theater’s ticketing page on their website at redbarntheatre.com. Once the ticket is purchased  – at a very reasonable $10 – the patron will receive an email receipt on which is a special “Watch” or “Watch Video” link to the streaming HD video.

The play is a series of monologues and dialogues between a variety of women of various ages, each of whom delivers funny and poignant stories that have been triggered by their individual experiences with clothing throughout their lives. They touch on virtually everything – from their first Brownie dress to their first prom dress, from bathrobes to bras, from shoes to boots to skirts, and the value of anything black.  It’s impossible not to relate to their tales, especially if you’re a woman…what they talk about is universal to anyone who has worn just about anything. The stories are personal, intriguing, and ultimately very funny.

Love, Loss and What I Wore stars Amber McDonald Good, Melody G. Moore, Peggy Montgomery, Barbara Mundy, and Susannah Wells. It is directed by Carole MacCartee and produced by Bob Bowersox, who has devised a clever way of using the Zoom interface as the world of the play, while making use of film editing techniques to make the play more visually active.

Artist rendering of the new Red Barn Theatre’s “Outside the Box” outdoor performance space.

The production kicks off a full season at the Red Barn, with all of the mainstage productions staged live in an outdoor space in the theater’s Zabar Courtyard. The Love, Loss streaming production is also the kickoff to the theater’s Membership and Subscription drives – a very important part of their operating capital drive. Memberships are available in a number of levels, each with its own percs. Subscriptions are available for their entire 2020-21 season. Single tickets for the are also available.

More information can be found at redbarntheatre.com or by calling 305-296-9911.

PRESS RELEASE
For further information, call: Bob Bowersox at 302-540-6102

For Immediate Release

RED BARN THEATRE ANNOUNCES THEIR NEW “OUTSIDE THE BOX” 2020-21 SEASON

Artist rendering of the new Red Barn Theatre’s “Outside the Box” outdoor performance space.

Key West’s venerable Red Barn Theatre – now entering its 41st remarkable professional season – has found some clever and intriguing ways to step “Outside the Box” by welcoming patrons back to the theater experience while making sure they are doing so in the safest and healthiest way possible.

In keeping with their “Outside the Box” theme, the Red Barn’s new season will make full use of the gorgeous, open-air Zabar courtyard that fronts their theater. The bricked space, comfortable and shielded by the overhang of a magnificent Royal Poinciana and surrounded by the foliage of Betsy’s Garden, is large enough to accommodate a decent-sized stage, and socially-distanced outdoor seating for upwards of 40 theater-lovers. The Woman’s Club, whose building fronts the property along Duval Street and who owns the courtyard space, has enthusiastically endorsed the Red Barn’s plans.

“In a survey of our patrons earlier this year, we found that most indicated they were not comfortable sitting inside a closed theater space just yet, but they’d most certainly come back to theater if we could present our productions outdoors,” said Bob Bowersox, actor, producer, and Publicity Director for the Barn. “So we took our time, looked at the options, and found we had exactly what our patrons were asking for sitting right in front of us.”

Artistic Director Joy Hawkins has planned a full season of live theater in the outdoor courtyard space, and thrown in a couple of unique online extras to boot.

One of those extras will kick off the Red Barn’s 41st “Outside the Box” season November 25-28 with an online production of Nora and Delia Ephron’s hilarious “Love, Loss and What I Wore”. The play, which was an enormous hit for the theater back in 2013, will be brought to life again in a new incarnation performed live and recorded. Patrons will be able to access the streaming show through the Red Barn’s website, redbarntheatre.com. Those purchasing any of the season Membership levels will be admitted free. Tickets are otherwise $10.

“This is a show that is tailormade for the Zoom platform,” said Bowersox, who is producing, with veteran Carole MacCartee directing. “Five women, talking to the audience and among themselves about the trials and tribulations of clothes. It’s hard not to be laughing every second – it’s one of those plays that’s enormously funny because it’s so true and everyone can relate.”

The play will star Key West’s Barbara Mundy, Melody G. Moore, Peggy Montgomery, Susannah Wells, and Amber McDonald Good. Tickets can be purchased at redbarntheatre.com and the link and password to the show will be offered at the end of the transaction.

The other extra will be a Christmas gift to Key West – a free offering of the smash hit “With Bells On”, which made its premiere last Christmas to enthusiastic packed houses at the Barn. It also will stream across the Red Barn’s website, December 16 – 20. Starring Trey Gerrald and Don Bearden, and directed and costumed by Christopher Peterson, the show revolves around a meek and mild accountant stuck in an elevator with a flamboyant drag queen on Christmas Eve. Access to the free streaming video of the play will again be through redbarntheatre.com. If patrons are so inclined, they can return the gift by making a donation in support of the Red Barn when they access the website.

The main stage shows planned for the “Outside the Box” outdoor theater space will run January through April. First up is “Quarantine for Two”, a brand new play from Key West’s Hy Conrad, who is well-known for his clever and funny writing on TV’s “Monk” series. The show will run January 12 through February 6.

Planned for February 23 through March 20 is “Cats Talk Back” by Bess Wohl, a funny “Waiting for Guffman” style parody that purportedly reveals the hilarious secrets behind the making of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical and the dark side of the Great White Way.

And winding up the Barn’s season March 30 through April 24 will be “Sez She” by Jane Martin. The show is performed by five actresses, who reveal through monologues the funnier, stranger sides of these early days of the 21st century. Hilarity, surprise, and homespun philosophy top the contemporary perspective on everything from sexual harassment to sleeping in theaters to the erotic appeals of silence.

The Red Barn’s annual Membership Drive is now in full swing and can be accessed through redbarntheatre.com. Membership revenue is critical to the Red Barn’s operations, and each level comes with its own special percs. Check them out on the website.

Subscriptions to the season are also available, which allow patrons to assemble their tickets to the various shows. Doing so is highly recommended, as the “Outside the Box” courtyard space has limited seating for each production.

For more information, visit redbarntheatre.com or call 305-296-9911.