Rover Dramawerks Presents THE GIRLS IN 509, 8/23-9/15

Rover Dramawerks is pleased to present the hilarious comedy The Girls in 509 by Howard Teichmann at the Cox Building Playhouse, 1517 H Avenue in Plano. Performances are August 23 – September 15, with shows on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., with an additional matinee performance on Saturday, September 1 at 2:00 p.m. 

Do today's politicians make you want to bury your head in the sand? Two wealthy ladies (played by Alice Montgomery and Veronica Day) cut themselves off from the outside world in 1932 when "that man" Roosevelt succeeded Hoover. Twenty-five years later their hotel has been condemned and a swarm of reporters (played by Phineas Bennett, Rick Blodgett, Danielle Shirar, and George Zimmerman) has discovered their hideaway, followed close behind by the leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties (Bill Otstott, playing both leaders), greedily drawn to their supposed wealth. What changed during the girls' seclusion, along with all that has ridiculously stayed the same, makes this a comic delight no matter who you vote for!

Rounding out the talented ensemble cast are Walt Threlkeld as a college professor trying desperately to be a reporter; Rick Rinner III as Old Jim, the last hotel employee; Audrey Ahern as a misguided social worker; and Kevin Fuld as the girls' attorney.

Howard Teichmann, the author of The Girls in 509, was for many years a witty presence on Broadway as a playwright, biographer, and raconteur. He was co-author with George S. Kaufman of the 1953 comedy hit The Solid Gold Cadillac, which was made into a movie starring Judy Holliday. In 1957, he adapted for the stage Nathanael West's novelMiss Lonelyhearts, about an advice columnist who is overcome by the pain of the letters he must read. It was also later made into a film, starring Montgomery Clift and Myrna Loy.

Teichmann graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1938 and began his career as stage manager for Orson Welles' Mercury Theater of the Air, writing scripts and producing shows. From 1962 until 1972, he was executive vice president of the Shubert theater organization, advising the company on plays to produce. He wrote the best-selling biographies of Mr. Kaufman (George S. Kaufman: An Intimate Portrait, 1972), the critic Alexander Woollcott (Smart Aleck: The Wit, World and Life of Alexander Woollcott, 1976) and Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the daughter of Theodore Roosevelt (Alice: The Life and Times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, 1979). He also wrote the biography Fonda: My Life in collaboration with Henry Fonda, published in 1981.Through all the twists of his career, his one constant was as a professor in Barnard College's English department, where for more than 40 years he taught the craft of writing for stage, screen, television and radio.

Mark-Brian Sonna serves as director of The Girls in 509. Set design is by Lindsey Humphries, with J. Kyle Harris as master carpenter. Costumes are by Shanna Gobin, and props are by Patrick O'Neil. Soren Haroldson is lighting designer and Robbi Holman is sound designer, with Sierra Wisor as light and sound board operator.

Tickets for The Girls in 509 are $16.00 on Thursdays and matinee and $20.00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Thursday, August 23 is Preview Night, and all seats are "pay-what-you-can." The performance on Friday, September 7 is "Nostalgia Night," sponsored by Photography by Misty. There will be a pie and coffee reception following this performance.

Tickets may be ordered online at www.roverdramawerks.com.  For more information, please call 972-849-0358.

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