PUHI — “Savannah Sipping Society” mixes comedy and human drama with a dash of Southern charm. The play, written by Jessie Jones, Jamie Wooten and Nicholas Hope, is the newest comedy presented by Kauai Community Players. It follows the lives
PUHI — “Savannah Sipping Society” mixes comedy and human drama with a dash of Southern charm.
The play, written by Jessie Jones, Jamie Wooten and Nicholas Hope, is the newest comedy presented by Kauai Community Players.
It follows the lives of four middle-aged single women who meet during a yoga class in Savannah, Ga.
“When you get to a certain age and you’re single, you start to feel out of things, and this is how the characters handle that,” said Jo Grande, director.
Each character has faced her own share of trials and tribulations.
“One gal, Marlafaye, her husband cheated on her. My character, D0t, is recently widowed. Jinx is the manager of a makeup store and becomes our life coach. The other character is Randa who is a career woman who just lost her job,” said Maureen Sharpe. “We get together for happy hour at Randa’s, and we start on a series of adventures and experiences where we are re-charging our lives.”
The four characters, played by Sharpe, Karen Firl, Cher Ellwood and Claudia Cowden, are the only ones in the play, and they share the stage time.
“Together, they discover lasting friendships and a renewed determination to live in the moment—and most importantly, realize it’s never too late to make new old friends. So raise your glass to these strong Southern women and their fierce embrace of life and say “Cheers!” to this joyful and surprisingly touching Jones, Hope, Wooten comedy,” a press release said.
There are eight acts, and the characters are drinking alcohol in eight of them, Sharpe said. The play also involves eight costume changes.
“We do crazy things — we go salsa dancing one night, we do the Renaissance Fair and Jinx convinces us to find a date for Valentine’s Day,” Sharpe said.
Cowden, who plays Jinx, said she likes what the character brings out in her.
“I feel that I have a lot of Jinx in me. Jinx is all about having fun and life’s too short,” she said. “I feel like I silence myself in real life, where on stage, they want you to be a character. I feel like my true personality is a character.”
Ellwood, who plays Randa, said “Savannah Sipping Society” is the fifth play she’s acted in for KCP.
“Jo drew me to this play,” said Ellwood, a math teacher at Kauai High School.
It’s a sentiment shared by Firl, who plays Marlafaye.
“She forced me into it,” she said.
Firl has been acting with KCP since 1984.
“Back then, we would go out dancing and drinking after every rehearsal,” she said. “Now, we’re lucky if we manage to get out after opening night and closing night.”
For Grande, there’s one line in the play that stands out. It’s: “Four older women who thought nobody cared about them anymore.”
“That really says it all,” she said. “That’s what happens to older woman when they’re single, and if you’re luck you have someone.”
Performances will take place at the Puhi Theatrical Warehouse and will run begin tonight and run through April 16.
For opening weekend, tickets are $15 and $20 for remaining shows. The show begins at 7 p.m. on Thursdays Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays.
