These shows will be performed at different times and rehearsed separately, but are being auditioned together. Both shows are evening and matinee performances - not to be confused with workshop performances listed below.

ADAPTATION will be performed the last weekend in SEPT 2024

Adaptation by Elaine May.                                Elaine May’s cynical, hilarious “Adaptation” shows us the absurdity of life

This excruciatingly funny and truly satiric play compresses American life into the conventions of a TV game show and loads the device with softly zinging barbs as it examines and dissects the shortcomings of society of the 1960s with rare wit and inventiveness.

Characters

PHIL - Male 30 - 45     The unwitting contestant on the show

GAMESMASTER - Male  30 - 50       Game Show Host 

FEMALE PLAYER -  25 - 60    Plays females in Phil's life. May be cast as more than one female

MALE PLAYER - 25 - 60  Plays males in Phil's life. May be cast as more than one male

THE LONG WEEKEND will be performed the weekend before Thanksgiving in NOV 2024

 The Long Weekend by Norm Foster.                 “A hilariously tangled web of truths, deception and surprises!”

 Max and Wynn invite their best friends Abby and Roger for a weekend in the country to show off their beautiful new vacation home. The true feelings behind this long friendship rapidly rise to the surface, and what is supposed to be a relaxing few days becomes a battle of wits and sharp tongued, fast-paced repartee.

   Characters

MAX TRUEMAN: Male, 50s – 60s, Husband to Wynn.   A successful lawyer, loves having the best of everything; arrogant and full of himself, sarcastic and highly opinionated; he also possesses a likeable quality that peeks through his usual superiority

WYNN TRUEMAN: Female, 50s – 60s, Wife to Max. A psychologist, radio self-help personality, and author- a bit of a know it all. Can be passive aggressive and a touch high strung; a genuinely nice person, but a bit of a snob at times and can be quite manipulative

ROGER NASH: Male, 50s – 60s, Husband to Abby.     A neurotic ex- math teacher-turned aspiring screenwriter- with writer's block. Annoying, petty, and complaining. Nurses his grudges in public and is very good at remembering details. But still likable on many levels

ABBY NASH: Female, 50s – 60s, Wife to Roger and longtime best friend to Wynn.  A fabric store owner with a fashion designer’s sensibility and flair. Smart, sassy, and passive aggressive. A sweet personality but can be selfish and jealous. Good at delivering subtle insults 

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Workshop (daytime) performance policies below:

Recently The Speeding Theatre board has clarified policies for participation in the workshops and performances. See below.

 Please remember: Speeding Theatre does not provide performance material for individuals, but welcomes your artistic talents in the performance pieces you prepare.

Those who want to perform in shows need to bring their own show pieces to workshop for approval to be put into outreach cabaret shows. 

If you sing you need to find your back up music tracks (not accompanist) and prepare your song to be performed at workshop.  If you dance, find your music, prepare your dance to perform at workshop. If you act, find your scene, monologue or story, rehearse and prepare it to perform at workshop. If you play a musical instrument prepare a piece to be performed at workshop.  Performance pieces of all kinds can be showcased at workshop.  Performers will be given an opportunity to perform and then notified if their pieces would be suitable for an outreach show.

(A resource table of some plays, skits and song sheets are available at workshops, as a source of possible performance ideas)

Shows are being booked for 2024 and we look forward to your participation.

       Important Information for Speeding Theatre-Over 55 Workshop Participants

Rehearsal Commitment:  Carmen and Rip work together to determine that all acts to be included in upcoming Outreach Variety Shows are ready for prime time.

1. Participants are expected to bring material they would like to perform (songs with music tracks, dance routines, skits, monologues or magic acts) to audition for inclusion in future shows.
2. All songs and their performance must be approved by Carmen.
3. If a song or other act is an established part of an individual’s repertoire, or if it is a new act that has been determined by Carmen and/or Rip to be show-ready, attendance at one “brush-up” rehearsal and then participation in the pre-show run-through is required.  Carmen and Rip reserve the right to make exceptions in special circumstances. Compliance with this policy is required to have more than one song/act included in the show.

Donations to The Speeding Theatre: TST is a not-for-profit organization that is not structured to require the payment of dues. However, all Workshop participants are encouraged to make a small contribution to help TST pay for ongoing operational expenses like rehearsal space rental and storage rental, equipment, marketing, insurance, etc. that are required to keep our nonprofit senior theatre group going.

1. A donation of $10 a month has been requested of Workshop participants since the founding of The Speeding Theatre in 2011.
2. Workshop participants can continue to make a monthly donation of $10 or, if it is more convenient, starting in January 2024 they can make a one-time annual donation of $75.  After January, one-time annual donations will be $100.

Regards,

The Speeding Theatre – Over 55, Board of Directors