(HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- The Ritz Theatre Company has partnered with Camden County College for the first time ever to present Greater Tuna, a hilarious send-up of small-town morals and mores that features just two actors creating the entire population of Tuna (Texas’ third-smallest town) in a “tour de farce” of quick change artistry. The show runs at The Ritz from February 11th through February 27th.
“When planning our ‘Welcome Back’ season, we jumped at the opportunity to co-produce a show with Camden County College and at long last work alongside Moxie Sokoloff, a revered director and theatre teacher at CCC,” says Ritz Producing Artistic Director Bruce A. Curless. “Greater Tuna is an imaginative, eccentric comedy, and the piece is a real feat of rapid costume changes and fast talking! There’s no doubt that this show is a great choice for our first collaboration.”
Greater Tuna was originally produced in 1981 in Austin, Texas by its authors, Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, and Ed Howard. The play’s stars, Williams and Sears, played all twenty characters, and Howard directed. One year after its premiere, Greater Tuna opened off-Broadway, ran for over a year, and went on to tour major theaters all over America and spots overseas for the next thirty-some years, becoming one of the most produced plays in American theatre history.
At the helm for this Ritz production of Greater Tuna is the aforementioned Moxie Sokoloff, who opened the show at Camden County College this past November. Now the show begins a three-week run at The Ritz, making it one of those rare South Jersey “transfer” productions that reunites the exact same cast and crew. Joining Ms. Sokoloff on this project are costumer Anna Sorrentino, scenic and sound designer Donald Swenson, lighting designer Chris Miller, and stage manager Dorothy Trusty. All are primed and ready to bring this uproarious two-hander back to the stage for its run at The Ritz.
Performances take place Friday, February 11 at 8:00pm; Saturday, February 12 at 8:00pm; Sunday, February 13 at 2:00pm; Wednesday, February 16 at 7:30pm; Friday, February 18 at 8:00pm; Saturday, February 19 at 8:00pm; Sunday, February 20 at 2:00pm; Wednesday, February 23 at 7:30pm; Friday, February 25 at 8:00pm; Saturday, February 26 at 8:00pm; and Sunday, February 27 at 2:00pm.
Tickets are: $30 General Admission; $15 Artist/Student Rush. Tickets are available online, over the phone, and at the box office.
Greater Tuna is directed by Moxie Sokoloff and stars Jonathan Fink as Arles Struvie & Others; Shaun Yates as Thurston Wheelis & Others. The Production Team includes Bruce A. Curless — Producing Artistic Director; Matthew Weil — Associate Artistic Director; AJ Klein — Technical Director; Dorothy Trusty — Stage Manager; Anna Sorrentino — Costume Design; Donald Swenson — Scenic & Sound Design; Chris Miller — Lighting Design.
The Ritz Theatre Company is located at 915 White Horse Pike in Haddon Township, New Jersey.
**Please be advised that all audience members ages 5 and up will be required to show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 when entering The Ritz. Full vaccination status means that, on the date of the performance, a guest is at least 14 days removed from their second dose of an approved two-dose COVID-19 vaccine OR at least 14 days removed from their sole dose of an approved single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. Exceptions will be made for unvaccinated individuals who bring ONE of the following items upon arriving at the theater: (1) A negative COVID-19 PCR test performed by a medical provider within 72 hours of the performance start time. (2) A negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance start time. The test results must clearly show the date and time of the test. Children under the age of 5 are exempt from the aforementioned vaccination/test result requirements. Masks will continue to be required for all audience and staff members inside the theater, except while actively eating or drinking.**
