(CAMDEN, NJ) -- South Camden Theatre Company continues their 2023 season with Lettice & Lovage by Peter Shaffer from April 14-30, 2023. This is a comical and satirical play centered on a flamboyant tour guide who loves to embellish the history behind an English country house and who butts heads with a fact-conscious official from The Preservation Trust during one of her tours.
Lettice Douffet (Stacy Skinner) is our Tour Guide in one of London’s least stately homes. She lifts the spirits of her tourist guests with her vibrant, imaginative storytelling. She is at odds with practical Lotte Shoen (Dawn Varava), from The Preservation Trust, who uses her power against Lettice. As with all of Shaffer's plays, excitement reigns as audiences witness opposing Titans. While in Shaffer's tragic Amadeus, Mozart's genius loses against the less-gifted Salieri, In the award-winning Lettice & Lovage, we witness sparkling comedy as these two women of a certain age become female gladiators as they grow because of the struggle.
The cast is set, and rehearsals are underway under the direction of Hedgerow Theatre’s Penelope Reed.
The show also stars South Camden Theatre Company’s artistic director, Dawn Varava, appearing courtesy of a Special Appearance contract from the Actors’ Equity Association, along with Stacy Skinner, who has appeared in several of our shows over the years. Both actors appeared together on South Camden's stage in The Savannah Sipping Society in 2013. They are joined by actors Anthony Wilcox and Emily-Grace Murray, along with a group of “tourists.”
Penelope Reed spoke about her experience. “What a delight to join the South Camden Theatre Company in mounting Peter Shaffer's award-winning Lettice & Lovage, a comedy that celebrates the triumph of the extraordinary over the ordinary. Theatre-goers will especially find joy in the words of Shaffer's imaginative, profound, and always entertaining theatre. Treating big ideas in innovative ways is his signature.”
Director Penelope Reed last directed The Breath Of Life at South Camden Theatre Company in 2019 during their two-character play series. Penelope states, “Having played the role of 'Lettice' at Hedgerow theatre, I had an opportunity to really dig into the play. Now, as a director, I have a new take on the piece. This show is indeed about relationships. Lettice, with her (and I think Shaffer’s) watchwords of Enlarging, Enlivening, and Enlightening, visibly inspires and enlarges each person she touches. Lotte… holds fast to the past. I think it’s a story about relationships, about the fast and intense culture we live in, and the possibility for these two very different women and their relationship.”
Lettice & Lovage was nominated for a “Best Play” Tony Award in 1990. Peter Shaffer is also known for his drama’s Equus, Amadeus, and Royal Hunt of the Sun.
Artistic Director Dawn Varava found this comically genius play while chatting with Penelope and Stacy during her search for the 2023 season. Dawn noted, “Our planned season was about living one’s truth, and this play represents these two women 'of a certain age' who are unafraid to live their truth. The friendship which these two develop changes both of them for the better.”
Dawn also spoke about being cast in the play. “I was excited to tackle the role of Lotte Schoen, because she goes through a major metamorphosis throughout the arc of the play which gives me an opportunity to stretch my acting chops in new and exciting ways.” “Plus,” she continued, “I am honored to be working with director Reed, who has garnered many theatre awards throughout her career. She has guided both Stacy and me in our character development.”
Lettice & Lovage opens on April 14 and runs through April 30. Plan now to see this show. You will love it. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and on Sundays at 2:00pm.
Tickets are available for purchase online. General admission is $20. There is a Camden Resident ticket available for $5 thanks to a grant from Holman Enterprises. Performances take place at The Waterfront South Theatre, a true gem in the Waterfront South arts district of Camden.
South Camden Theatre Company is also excited to announce their collaboration with The Strides Collective for a Gay Pride production of the drama Stop Kiss by Diana Son this June. This show represents their first collaboration with another theatre company and they couldn’t be more excited. The Strides Collective was developed by Jonathan Edmondson to foster and produce queer plays by queer artists. Their vision perfectly matches South Camden's theatre vision as well as the play they are producing together. Jonathan will be directing this production, and South Camden Theatre Company is excited to present it in celebration of love and equality during Pride month.
South Camden Theatre Company is proud to call Camden home. When the company was founded in 2005, performances were held in the basement theatre of the Sacred Heart Church. They are now the proud owners of The Waterfront South Theatre, the first, free-standing theatre built for live theatre in Camden in more than 100 years. It is an intimate theatre space with room for 96 guests per performance. South Camden Theatre and its Waterfront South Theatre is just down Ferry Avenue past the intersection at Broadway on Jasper Street/Michael Doyle Lane.
South Camden Theatre Company was selected by PNC Bank to participate in PNC Arts Alive again for our next two seasons. This is a very prestigious grant award. Just over 40 organizations in the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region were selected for bold thinking around increasing arts access and engagement. “We’ve long recognized just how vital the arts and cultural sector is to our community. The PNC team is once again excited to support the arts and cultural organizations visual and performing arts in the Delaware Valley,” said Joe Meterchick, PNC regional president for Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey. “Arts and culture strengthen the local economy and have the power to bring people together. As we look forward to resuming everyday activities, we invite our neighbors to join us and be a part of art.” Read more here.
Shows are also sponsored in part by Holman Enterprise Group, Camden County Cultural & Heritage Commission at Camden County College, and Subaru.
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