LIMESTONE, N.Y. — Audiences can join in on the fun this weekend by donning tropical clothing when they attend “JAWS the Musical” Friday and Saturday at the Limestone Community Center on Main Street.
The Bradford Little Theatre musical comedy, which will feature a talented cast from Pennsylvania and New York state, will benefit the theatrical group as well as the Limestone Volunteer Fire Department, said director Kristin Asinger.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. each night with the $30 admission to include the show, a Limestone VFD fish fry featuring a variety of prepared fish or chicken as well as sides and one drink.
The audience will also enjoy various raffles, 50/50s and games prior to the one-hour show, Asinger added. Reserve tickets can be purchased at the BLT website for groups of six or more, or at the door.
“The show will start at about 8 p.m. and will be done about 9 p.m.,” she said. “This is not real interactive (with the audience), but the cast will come down through” the aisles.
She said the 13 cast members are from Bradford, Pa. and surrounding areas, as well as Allegany and Bolivar in New York.
“It’s truly a comedy and an hour of hysterical laughter,” Asinger said of the show, which is a spoof of 1975 Jaws movie and had been performed “off, off” Broadway in New York City.
“It’s a lot of fun, really good (raffle) prizes and it will be a good night,” Asinger promised.
Cast member Barry Fitzgerald of Allegany plays Chief Brody in the production and said he is enjoying the show.
“We (appropriate) a whole lot from the movie,” Fitzgerald explained. “I hope we do it justice, because the previous team that did it (at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford) did well. I laughed so hard that I had a headache for three hours after I watched it.
“I came back the next night and a guy fell out of his chair onto the floor laughing,” Fitzgerald said of the previous show. “Oh, my gosh, it’s funny.”
John Kearns, who is the music director and plays Quint in the play, said he, too, is enjoying being a part of the production. Kearns, a Bradford resident, said he has written the overture and curtain call for the show and has redone the musical arrangements for the production.
“It’s been a lot of fun and the cast has done very, very well,” Kearns noted. “We have a lot of good singers – I think people are going to be kind of surprised.”
David Merwine, also of Bradford, said he will play the shark expert, Matt Hooper, who helps the beach community figure out how to defeat the underwater beast.
“I’m the crazy person who goes down in the shark cage, hoping to poison it and kill it,” Merwine said. “This show is hilarious.”
Another Bradford resident, Jessica Ann Coder, said she plays a “Mayorette” who follows the skeptical mayor all around the beach.
“We get to come here and pretend it’s summertime,” Coder added, while noting she wears a bathing suit under her robe.
Asinger said the other cast members include Connie Shanks, who plays Chief Brody’s wife, Ellen; Linda Lamborn who plays Deputy Lucy; Andee Higley, who plays The Shark; Chris Lathrop, who plays Mayor Vaughn; and Taylor Hill who plays the other Mayorette.
In addition, Mike Clark will play Polly the Reporter; Barb Pedersen will play Mrs. Kintner; Geitner plays Bat Hat Harry; and Lewis P. Keller Jr. will play Tom, a guy who enjoys the beach.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.bradfordlittletheatre.org or by calling Chelsea Place at (814) 598-9956. Groups of six or more are encouraged to call Place so that seating arrangements can be reserved for the group.
