Local playwright, Olivia Gowan, will share her new work as a readers theater presentation at Players by the Sea at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30 and Tuesday, Oct. 1.
“We’re excited this work is the inaugural play of the Second Season,” said Suzanne Hudson-Smith, Players’ executive director. “Great plays should be seen often and our audiences need to experience more opportunities than we can offer in our regular season of eight productions. Second Season was created to expand our theatre presentations of plays – it’s just the love of the play and passion of the creative team that makes it happen.”
Playwright Gowan and Gloria Ware, the director, have chosen to present this play as reader’s theater. “The actors don’t memorize their lines, they just use vocal expression to guide the audience into understanding the story,” Ware said.
This presentation is about the content of the play.
Gloria Ware, PBTS board member 2017-2019, is still very active and supportive of Players. She’s often been seen on stage and this time, she brings a new piece of literature to the stage, The Memories of Ruby Mae. Ware fell in love with this story while it was being created and is thrilled to be able to tell this story written by Olivia Gowan.
“Sharing these stories is so important – Players by the Sea gets that and has opened their space to welcome new work … and to welcome a diverse cast that includes actors, directors and some who haven’t ever performed at the theatre,” Ware said.
The Memories of Ruby Mae is a wickedly funny and heartfelt play that guides us through generational hurts to an unexpected healing. It is a poignant, sweet, story of a woman with whom we can all relate. She is strong, kind, curious, honest and speaks her mind. As she leaves this world and begins to cross over, she experiences several memories of those who have already passed on and others who are still influential in her life.
Gowan is a playwright from Macon Georgia, who currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida. In January 2016 she produced her second full length, Cotton Alley at Players by the Sea, which pinned her as a southern, gothic writer compared to a female Tennessee Williams. She is the founder of The Groundling Scribes, a group that supports playwrights and original works.
Players is located at 106 6th Street North in Jacksonville Beach. Donations will be taken at the door. To make a reservation, visit playersbythesea.org or call the Box Office at (904) 249-0289.
