The Center Stage Community Theatre will debut “Four Old Broads” on Friday, Oct. 13 in Lebanon for a night of antics and show-stopping costumes at the award-winning theater at 604 Powell St. in Lebanon.
The theater elected to produce “Four Old Broads” by Leslie Kimball this year after multiple iterations of the play were canceled or delayed as a result of the pandemic. The consistent drive to recast and reproduce the production has formed “Four Old Broads” into a passion project for Director Doug Davis.
“I think it’s a really cute look at what’s going on in the retirement homes as we age,” Davis said. “Everything I either see at the movies or on TV right at this time and what’s going on in the world today is so serious, and we need these couple of moments to take a breath and have some fun and have some laughs. This show is perfect for that.”
The production revolves around residents of the Magnolia Place Assisted Living facility who kick off the antics by discussing the need for a vacation, namely a Sassy Seniors Cruise through the Caribbean. Beatrice Shelton, Eaddy Mae Clayton and Imogene Fletcher agree to partake in the cruise while seeking a fourth resident to join their group, which introduces Maude Jenkins, a woman that the group deems “crazy” due to her obsession with soap operas and planning her own funeral. After a possible scandal erupts involving the nursing staff and the administrator, the group launches a mission to solve the issue before they embark through the Caribbean for their own safety and the well-being of the other residents of Magnolia Place.
“It’s what I imagine goes on when people aren’t around at Wesley Manor in Frankfort,” Davis said. “There’s a lot of younger people out at retirement homes now, and I think they can get pretty fiesty when they need to. This has a little bite to it.”
The production features numerous zany characters with defining characteristics that mirror many aspects of the “Golden Girls.” Beyond the four main characters of Beatrice, Eaddy, Imogene and Maude, the play introduces Sam Smith, a retired Elvis impersonator with an affinity for one of the main characters and a reputation that precedes him, Nurse Pat Jones, a corrupt nurse that seeks to gain further power by applying for the administrator position, and Ruby Sue, a newly onboarded nurse with a soft spot for the rest of the cast.
As the group begins to form new bonds and delve into the mystery surrounding the corruption of the nursing staff at Magnolia Place, Maude partakes in the Magnolia Senior Citizen Pageant to help cover for the antics and finds herself as she grows throughout the production to become an ingrained member of the group.
Davis expressed that the cast has been gearing up toward opening weekend, and he expects the energy on the stage to electrify as the 50-seat theater fills up on Friday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. With a seasoned cast of returnees, directors and new faces at the Center Stage Community Theatre, Davis holds high expectations for the upcoming shows.
“When you have an audience, they bring it to a different level,” Davis said. “You might be playing it all week in practices Monday through Thursday at a certain level, but having a group of people out there, living and breathing, and the first time you hear the reaction to a joke, it brings you up to an energy on that next level, and you start giving it a little more kick. You push it a little quicker. You go a little quicker. It just adds to the experience of the actors on stage.”
Davis commented that the cast and crew of the shows at Center Stage Community Theatre are a pivotal part of the productions as they help with costuming, stage design, running lines and much more throughout the rehearsal process. Davis expressed that the actors’ passion for theater is palpable from their dedication to the production of the performances as well as their performances on the stage.
“These are all actors that we ask to drive from wherever they live–we have people from Zionsville and Frankfort–and they donate their time for free,” Davis said. “We rely on them.”
“Four Old Broads” will debut on Friday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Center Stage Community Theatre. Shows will continue on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 15 at 2:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for seniors, and community members may purchase tickets at centerstagecommunitytheatre.com, at the box office or by calling 765-894-5587.
