A TUNA CHRISTMAS RED BARN THEATER REVIEW

by Guy deBoar | December 21, 2023

https://konklife.com/a-tuna-christmas-red-barn-theater.../

Actors David Black & Brandon Beach in Red Barn’s A Tuna Christmas

The Red Barn Theater has once again gifted Key West and the Florida Keys with a rollicking holiday treat, “A Tuna Christmas.”

This comedic gem, penned by the brilliant trio Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard, transports audiences to the whimsical universe of Tuna, Texas, where holiday cheer collides with the peculiarities of small-town life.

Set in the cozy, fictional town of Tuna, this play is a delightful sequel to the beloved “Greater Tuna.” From the outset, it’s clear that this production doesn’t pull any punches in delivering a flurry of fast-paced humor, witty repartee, and an ensemble of characters as diverse as the Texas landscape itself.

Directed with finesse by Michael Marrero, the seamless transitions and lightning-fast costume changes by David Black and Brandon Beach, who deftly juggle multiple roles and genders, keep the audience engaged in this madcap journey. Yet, beyond the laughter-inducing antics and the holiday setting, “A Tuna Christmas” invites us to peer into a funhouse mirror reflecting our own quirks and idiosyncrasies. It’s a testament to the universal appeal of small-town charm, where regardless of our current locales, the characters’ tales resonate with a familiarity that elicits laughter and nods of recognition from the audience.

The Red Barn’s presentation encapsulates the heart and soul of this play, intertwining uproarious comedy with moments that tug at heartstrings. The synergy between the actors, the ingenious set design by Gary McDonald, costume design by Gary R. Marion, and the evocative lighting by Jack McDonald elevates the storytelling to an immersive experience.

This production is more than a mere play; it’s a pleasant celebration that unites theatergoers in shared laughter and nostalgia. Its magnetic blend of humor and heartfelt moments has rightfully earned it a place as a perennial holiday favorite for many.

To the residents and visitors of the Keys, I would like to ask you to please secure your tickets to this uproarious spectacle. Join in the laughter, spread the word, and revel in the sheer delight of “A Tuna Christmas.” Your time at the Red Barn Theater promises not just laughter, but an unforgettable journey into the heart of comedic storytelling. Tickets: (https://redbarntheatre.com/tickets)

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

For Immediate Release

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Key West’s Red Barn Theatre will open their remarkable 44th Season in December with an eclectic mix of new plays and familiar faces on stage. Pre-Season tickets and subscriptions are now on sale through their website, redbarntheatre.com.

“I’m really excited about this season,” said long-time Artistic Director Joy Hawkins. “It’s very theatrical and risk-taking. We’re doing some new plays that are just out that are timely and funny, and we’re bringing back a new musical show by Christine Mild that I’m really looking forward to.”

Opening the season December 19 and running through January 13, 2024 will be “A Tuna Christmas”, written by Ed Howard, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams. It’s one of the popular “Tuna” series of plays, and will be a perfect show to point up the holidays. Two of Key West’s most popular and accomplished actors – Brandon Beach and David Black – will star, and between them will bring dozens of characters and voices to life in the hilarious production. It will be directed by Key West playwright/filmmaker/photographer Michael Marrero.

Next up January 30 through February 24 will be the very timely “Potus: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive,” written by Selina Fillinger. The title should tell you all you need to know about the play’s very funny and outrageous skewering of today’s political landscape. Hawkins will direct a Who’s Who cast of Key West’s top actresses – George Dibraud, Susannah Wells, Lauren Thompson, Jessica Miano Kruel, Marjorie Paul Shook, Lynn Clark, and Fritzie Esimond. Variety called the show “a delicious feminist farce…irresistibly funny”, and TimeOutNYcalled it “A broad, zany, old-school comedy.” If you want to laugh ‘til you cry, this is your show.

March 5 – 30, the Red Barn’s Managing Director, Mimi McDonald, will direct the big Off-Broadway and Broadway hit, “The Thanksgiving Play”, written by Larissa FastHorse. Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in this wickedly funny satire, as a troupe of terminally “woke” teaching artists scrambles to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month. The show will star Arthur Crocker, Jeremy Zoma, and Elena Devers. The New York Times called the play “…a delicious roasting…”, and the Hollywood Reporter calls it “…very, very funny…a clever satire”.

The season’s final production will be “The Lifespan of a Fact”, written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell. A fact checker and a talented writer at a prominent but sinking New York magazine clash when the former must fact check the latter’s explosive essay that could save the magazine. It’s a comedic yet gripping battle over facts versus truth. What could be more timely?

Two special events will also punctuate this new season. The first will run January 17-20 and feature the return of the very popular vocalist Christine Mild, with her new show, “The Women of Country Music”. Mild, known for her accomplished interpretation of Patsy Cline, will deliver the top hits of the most iconic female singers in the long history of country music. She’ll be accompanied by pianist/arranger Jim Rice, bassist Gary Rivenson, and drummer Gary McDonald.

And the always-popular annual fundraiser for the Red Barn will take place on Sunday, January 14th at the Oldest House, from 5 pm until 9 pm. As always, it will be a themed party, this year being “Life’s A Drag”. Tickets will be $150 and will include a delicious spread catered by Destinations Catering and an open bar. Performances are planned by some of Key West’s most iconic entertainers. Attendees are encouraged to display their best costuming in line with the theme.

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

For Immediate Release

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Photo by: Roberta DePiero

Actors: (l to r) Iain Wilcox, Erin McKenna, Arthur Crocker, Susannah Wells, Jeremy Zoma, Cassidy Timms

There are those who believe our universe – the one our planet and galaxy currently exist within – is but one of many such universes, involving multiple dimensions, overlapping times, and repeating histories. While that concept may be hard to wrap your head around, the Red Barn Theatre in Key West may be able to help.

Their perennial favorite production, “Short Attention Span Theatre”, will return to their stage April 7 – 29, with this year’s theme being “Parallel Universes”. It’s an evening of six eclectic new one-act plays, each of which will take a skewed, often hilarious, look at the world (or universes) we live – or may live -- within.

“They’re all comedic plays, but they’re meaty,” said Mimi McDonald, who is executive producing the show. “They’ll make you laugh, but they’ll also make you think.  They’re about things that could happen, or could be, or that make you wonder about reality. The show’s colorful, lots of cool costumes, lots of good music. It’s a great evening if you’re looking for something fun and out of the ordinary.”

McDonald spent a lot of time finding just the right plays for this year’s show. She researched the best new short plays that have won awards from 2021 and beyond, and took advantage of her relationship with Miami’s City Theatre, which is well-known for their short play roster. Each play McDonald chose has its own world and reality, with characters and situations that not only surprise but are highly entertaining.

“The concept of SAST is good writers, good actors, good directors,” she said. “I wanted new things by published writers. And we found them, for sure…David Ives is always good, and Laurie Allen. It’s hard to pick favorites -- they’re all terrific.”

Once again the entire McDonald theatrical clan – Mimi, husband Gary, daughter Amber, and son Jack – will be behind the scenes directing the various plays and creating the clever sets. They’ll be joined by Key West photographer/playwright Mike Marrero.

“Our kids have grown up in the theater,” McDonald said, “and it’s nice to have the youthful perspective on these particular plays. And Mike’s got a real sense of humor too. The audiences are going to be laughing a lot.”

It’s a rich veteran cast of solid Key West favorites they’ll be directing: Susannah Wells, Erin McKenna, Arthur Crocker, Cassidy Timms, Jeremy Zoma, and Iain Wilcox. Expect them to be pushing the envelope far into the parallel universes.

Tickets for “Short Attention Span Theatre: Parallel Universes” are available at redbarntheatre.com or by calling the Red Barn box office at 305-296-9911. Ticketholders for the Opening Night performance on April 7 will be invited to join the cast and crew for a catered Opening Night Reception in the Zabar Courtyard, catered by Michelle Chennault.

The show is sponsored by Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry of the Keys, Design Group Key West, and by grants from Culture Builds Florida, and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

Theater Review: The Code
RED BARN SHOW RECALLS TINSELTOWN’S TARNISH

by Amy Patton | March 9, 2023

Read Review

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Theater Review: The Code

by Emily Weekley | March 9, 2023

The Red Barn Theater’s newest show this season, The Code, let’s viewers into a pensive experience with its characters in order to contemplate society, change, and the price of being true to oneself. In the theater, the audience is taken back in time to 1950s Hollywood, where the glamorous were coming face-to-face with the tensions of blacklisting. 

Written by Michael McKeever and directed by Christopher Renshaw, The Code references the Hays Code that set moral guidelines on the film industry from 1938 until the late 1960s. The play itself takes place over one intimate evening in 1950 at a cocktail party in the fashionable home of Billy Haines, played by Tom Wahl. The events of the evening serve as a microcosm of the ripple effects of a government’s interference with identity. Tallulah Bankhead is brought to life in all her outspoken glory by Mary Falconer, as she and Haines illustrate the importance of honest, true friendship as they await the arrival of another guest. 

Haines is attempting to live a life true to his sexual identity in a time that, as Bankhead tells the audience, wasn’t kind to homosexuality. Henry Wilson, played by David Black, is a foil to Haines, representing the acceptance of a stifling and sometimes violent and abusive culture. Wilson is intense and stiff, and Black inhabits the role in such a way as to make the audience appalled by a way of life common to the era and despicable to confront. Haines is, on the other hand, inspiring and steadfast, and Wahl balances the authority, modesty, and sensitivity of the character well. This all unfolds as the impressionable young Chad Manford, played by Carlos Ortega Amorin, observes the two paths from which he can choose to follow, represented by Wilson and Haines. Manford is confused, impressionable, and thinks he is on the cusp of realizing an impossible dream.

The stage evokes immediate nostalgia for the period, its black-and-white checkered floors, black walls, white lamps and frames, glass bar cart, and white, fur-covered settee. This color palette is cut only by the striking red of roses and the dress worn by Bankhead and designed by Gary R. Marion. As the rest of the cast dons black, white, and grey, the set becomes a metaphor for the false dichotomy that the enforcement of the moral codes of the era was. 

As a viewer, the venue and all of the elements of the play come together to make you feel as if you are really at this intimate gathering, which can at once be uncomfortable and delightful. While moments of the plot are disheartening, the show’s message is unavoidably hopeful: people like Haines were living a life that would one day, perhaps the day you will walk into when you exit the theater after the play, become a story that may inspire real, permanent change. 

The Code runs March 7th – 25th at the Red Barn Theater at 319 Duval Street (in back). You can get your tickets at redbarntheatre.com or by calling the box office, open from 3:00–5:00p.m. on weekdays, at 305-296-9911.