LAKEPORT — Lakeport Community Players presents a second weekend of comedy with “The Solid Gold Cadillac,” on stage at the Soper Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport.
The curtain went up Friday night, March 7, after a champagne reception. It is LCP”s first performance in many years at the refurbished Soper Reese, which will be open for use during an interlude between phases of construction.
John Ross gave guests an update on Soper Reese construction. Phase I is completed, which included the venue”s stage, new electrical, heating and air.
The group needs to raise $500,000 to complete Phase II, which will include ADA-accessible restrooms and work on the lobby and exterior. Ross thanked the community for past assistance and said that the fund-raising committee will ask the community to “step up” again.
Opening night saw leading lady Joan Holman in the role of Mrs. Laura Partridge, matching wits with four currupt board members who are making themselves rich at the expense of company shareholders. After she raises awkward questions at a company shareholders” meeting, the board members give her a made-up job as director of shareholder relations. Unbeknownst by the directors, who thought her safely out of the way, she begins to network with her fellow shareholders.
Doug Burns, Mil Garrett, Xian Yeagan and Chris Nowak are hilariously corrupt in their roles on the board of directors. Holman is crisply business-like in holding them accountable.
The cast also features Ken Blythe in the role of the corporation”s former president, who is now in a government position. The directors hope to capitalize on his new political authority by obtaining government contracts and decide that Laura Partridge is just the person for the job of persuading him to act for the good of the “little” shareholders.
Rounding out the cast are Laura Foote as Amelia Shotgraven, Justin Braider as Mark Jenkins, Crystal Hutchins as Miss L”Arriere, Michele Chapman as Miss Logan, Michael Williams, Andy Nowak and Dan Sammel as wire service reporters, Armand Flores, Rod Levenduski and Moira Harris as news broadcasters and Merry Lloyd as another company shareholder.
Mary Howe directed the performance, assisted by Alice Stone and Suna Flores. It features a set designed by Randy Hare and Suna Flores and costumes by Alice Stone.
Performances take place at 8 p.m. Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, March 16. Rerserved seating is $15 for the general public and can be purchased in advance from Catfish Books in Lakeport. Members of LCP or Lake County Repertory Theater can purchase reserved seating for $12 apiece.
General seating tickets are available at Wild About Books in Clearlake and the Main Street Gallery in Lakeport. General seating tickets cost $12 for the general public and $10 for members of LCP or LCRT, students and seniors. For more information, call 279-2595.
Contact Cynthia Parkhill at cparkhill@clearlakeobserver.com.
