SUN CITY – When the Theatre Company of Sun City was founded in 2003, its initial goal was to provide residents in the area an opportunity to experience musical theater, with two musicals scheduled each year.
On its tenth anniversary, the company is introducing its first non-musical, or straight play, “Sex Please, We’re Sixty.”
Cast members rehearse for the Sun City Theatre Company’s production of “Sex Please, We’re Sixty.” (Chris LaPelusa/Sun Day Photo)
“Over the span of time, people asked about non-musicals. For the people who couldn’t sing or dance well, they wanted an outlet where they could express themselves. We tried it last year with a single, one-act play. And, as part of this year’s anniversary, we wanted to make it more mainstream,” Pat Molohon, director of the upcoming play, said.
The play itself, written by Michael and Susan Parker, is, as Molohon simply puts it, a “complete farce.”
Cast members rehearse for the Sun City Theatre Company’s production of “Sex Please, We’re Sixty.” (Chris LaPelusa/Sun Day Photo)
It’s a story about growing older, revolving around a bed and breakfast run my Mrs. Stancliffe, one of the characters. Her guests, who are mostly women, return annually in what she believes is a romantic romp with her next-door neighbor, Bud “Bud the Stud” Davis.
Mrs. Stancliffe’s other neighbor, Henry Mitchell, is a retired chemist who has developed a blue pill called “Venusia.” His answer to Viagra, it increases the libido of menopausal women.
When three of her guests agree to take the pill (which has not been tested) and accidentally mix their pills in with Bud’s Viagra, the “fun begins.”
“It’s really a role reversal, but it’s nothing but fun,” Molohon said, adding the play is largely structured around timing – similar to the play ‘Noises Off!’ “It keeps the audience engaged. It makes them wonder what’s happening next.”
Molohon first saw the play a couple of months back, when the Elgin Theatre Company staged its own production. He said as he saw it unfold, he knew this was the play to bring to Sun City.
“I thought, ‘What a neat show this is’ and thought it could be a prime vehicle to show the folks at Del Webb. It’s a show that would probably resonate with a lot of people here. It’s something that can connect to its audience. You hope the audience receives it and has a good time with it, but you never know,” he said.
The show is so funny, he adds, that it’s hard to get through a dress rehearsal without the cast cracking up.
“You hope once we hit the stage, we’ll be able to stay in character, but it’s entirely possible that someone will snicker a little bit when they hear a line that made them crack during rehearsals.”
Molohon commends his cast, however, who has “really embodied the characters they play.”
The play will take the stage at the Drendel Ballroom on July 18 and 19 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door.
While this is the company’s first “non-musical,” Molohon said the success or failure of it come showtime will help determine if similar plays run in the future.
“It kind of remains to be seen. If this is the product that people would like to see, we could probably program this into our yearly schedule. But we’re still going to have musicals. That won’t change,” he said.
Sex Please, We’re Sixty
When: July 18-19 7 p.m.
Where: Drendel Ballroom
Tickets: $10 at the door
More info: sccah.com
