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After an incredible opening with close to 150 people in attendance, the cast and crew of “Leading Ladies” are ready to rock it tonight! Doors open at 6:30 pm; 7:30 pm curtain.

You can still purchase tickets for tonight and tomorrow night by calling our Box Office at Schmidt Jewelers (620-442-3045) or by clicking Box Office

You don’t want to miss this hilarious evening of entertainment!

We are almost there…

Back at the first of the year, we held an informational meeting with just a handful of people present. We wanted to see what the interest was in re-booting the community theatre in Arkansas City. The next month, we did the same, and we had more people show interest and support. By March we knew that restarting the community theatre was very well supported and that there were a group of people wanting to see the dream of live theatre at the Burford Theatre a reality. And the Burford staff and Ark City Arts Council has been incredibly supportive of our endeavors. (We can’t thank them enough!)

Here we are 8 months later, and we are mounting our first full-scale production, which opens in two days. It has not been without some bumps and mountains to climb along the way. But we are determined and committed to bring more excellent live theatre to South Central Kansas and Northern Oklahoma.

AVP  is now incorporated. We have our 501(c)3 application processing. We have a small, but mighty group of passionate volunteers working together for the common good… and our mission is clear: Ark Valley Players (AVP) has the desire to inspire, nurture, challenge, amaze, educate, and empower artists and audiences, in order to enrich the cultural life of Arkansas City and the South Central Kansas and Northern Oklahoma area. We are providing area residents the opportunity to attend AND participate in quality theatrical productions of a cross-section of the finest theatrical works available. 

Our vision is full of promise and excitement as we move into “Leading Ladies” and beyond. 

Ark Valley Players has a vision to be the best community theatre we can be. Our Vision for the future includes:

• The production of high quality theatrical experiences that delight and challenge our audiences, volunteers and the community
• An effective engagement of volunteers, who AVP believes are the heart of our work and the key to our success
• An environment in which a community of volunteers of all ages and skill level can continuously develop skills, support and mentor each other, and remain fulfilled with their theatrical experiences
• A comfortable, accessible, safe facility in which to work that will help advance our creativity and production
• Providing educational opportunities that nurture creative theatrical talents and its essential contribution to our quality of life
• Recognizing and appreciating the theatre as a vital part of the fabric of our community
• A reputation that is respected locally, regionally, and nationally for theatrical quality
• A compassionately committed and effective Board of Directors with vision and a can-do attitude
• Financial stability and sustainability that is achieved through patronage, donations, endowment and fiscal responsibility

AVP’s arms are open wide. We want to bring our own flavor to Cowley County and help enrich the, already, amazing theatre in our area. We would love to have more people join us as we move forward and start to plan what comes next. 

Ark Valley Players is beyond excited to share “Leading Ladies” with the community! Countless hours of time have been put into this lovely, and hilarious, play. Won’t you please join us this weekend? We still have tickets available for all three performances, however, our dinner theatre option has now sold out. (That’s pretty incredible!)

To purchase tickets, you can either call our box office at Schmidt Jewelers at 620-442-3045 (or stop in to see Blanche,) or you can just click here Box Office

We’ll see you this weekend!

-M

7/20/2018

PRESS RELEASE

ARK VALLEY PLAYERS TO PRESENT “LEADING LADIES” COMEDY AUGUST 2, 3, AND 4

Ark Valley Players will present the comedy “Leading Ladies” by Ken Ludwig at August 2, 3, and 4 at the historic Burford Theatre in downtown Arkansas City.

Following a dismal performance in front of the Moose Lodge in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, down-and-out Shakespearean actors Leo Clark and Jack Gable devise a hair brained get-rich-quick scheme.

After seeing a newspaper article about an ailing local woman, Florence Snider, desperate to find her long-lost sister’s children, Max and Steve, who moved away to England as children, the men are eager to be cut in on the woman’s $3 million estate. Leo and Jack lay the framework for a plan — only to surprisingly discover that the old woman is not looking for nephews, but nieces Maxine and Stephanie.

The hilarity in playwright Ken Ludwig’s comedy begins when — undeterred — Leo and Jack quickly alter their plan and appear as the newly found nieces. The con gets even more complicated when Leo falls for Florence’s niece, Meg, who is the rightful heir to the estate. The fact that Meg is engaged to the local philanthropist adds to the mayhem.

Dejon Ewing directs. Along with Dr. David Ross as Leo Clark and Brad Beeson as Jack Gable, the cast is rounded out with Michelle Zakharov as Meg; David Andreas as the fussy man she’s engaged to marry; Piper Leigh as Audrey, a roller-skating waitress; Addam Porter as Audrey’s not-so-bright boyfriend; Kevin Bennett as gregarious Doc; and Donna Prichard as the elderly Aunt Florence.

“AVP is thrilled to present our first full-scale production at the Burford,” said Michelle Zakharov, AVP Board President. “After many hours of work, this talented cast, under the direction of Dejon Ewing, will blow audiences away.”

“This play is just plain fun,” she adds. “We’ve had many hilarious moments during rehearsals that brought the cast and crew to tears, laughing so hard. Men dressing as women in ridiculous-looking costumes have had the cast trying to keep straight faces during the rehearsal process. Just because of how outlandish the characters look.”

“We have a really great cast, and they’re enjoying each other as a group, which is making our first production such fun for everyone. It’s just an old-fashioned farce that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” says Zakharov. “It truly is a blast and it’s our hope that the audience will have the same kind of fun we’ve had during the creation process.”

Curtain is at 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, August 2-4, and there will be a special dinner and show option available on Saturday, August 4. Tickets are $12 for the show; $25 for dinner show combo, and are available online at arkvalleyplayers.com/box-office/, AVP’s official box office at Schmidt Jewelers 620-442-3045, or by calling the Burford Theatre at 620-442-5895. The Burford Theatre will host a cash bar at all performances.

 

AVP’s next membership meeting was originally scheduled for 10:00 am on July 21; we have changed the time to 1:00 to accommodate rehearsals for Leading Ladies that morning. This meeting is open to all paid members of Ark Valley Players. If you are interested in becoming a member of Ark Valley Players, please join us.

To learn more about membership and its perks, click here today!

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