Gilda Shedstecker is Twisted & Shouting!

Oh, yes, it\’s been a while coming, and here it is. It\’s like Comedy Central when some of our Gilda Shedstecker Presents! players in solo action steal the spotlight. Happy New Year, our first production of 2016 is a party for our audience, our friends!

When I directed Tammy Zinkhon Hyde in the one-woman show Big Pants & Botox two years ago, it was one of the most rewarding experiences ever. And I thought how wonderful it would be to share that with each of the super members of the GSP troupe. But to feature them all in a one-man show, well, I don\’t think I have that many years left! But the thought has been percolating.

And then… I always enjoy having the momentary pre-show chat with our audiences, and as we\’ve seen so many faces return show after show, you all have become friends to us. I was ill for one performance of Hell with the Holidays, so the lovely and highly capable stage manager Tawny Plumley Burkhardt did the pre-show in my absence, and she told me how much she enjoyed it, too. And  I thought this was an experience I\’d like to share with all our players, the opportunity to chat one-on-one with the audience, share some laughs, and have a good time together. It\’s so much fun striking that stand-up comedy pose! The thought fermented. Twisted & Shouting was born.

So, in this Very Special Show, Gilda Shedstecker Presents! our players (in most cases) playing for and chatting solo with the audience. We let our hair down and twist and shout! You will laugh as Benjamin Steeley is a B-list actor, Jacki Dietz is a toddler pageant mom, Kitty Deames Burgett is a PBS soprano with a cooking show. Manuel Halkias is a frazzled nurse, Patrice Rittenhouse is an actress distracted by technology, and Linda Alexander-Radak is a crotchety old lady. And sometimes, in the case of Bridget Bazzinotti and yours truly, Doug Tennant, we just like to share the color in our sky! Trudy E Koehler and Tiffeny Brown team up to share some laughs, and we might all just play a game or two.

As with all our shows, it is material geared for teens and adults, so parental guidance is suggested. Performances are March 18, 19, 25, and 26 at 8:00 pm at the Kathleen Howland Theatre in beautiful downtown Canton, Ohio! Tickets can be purchased at 2nd April Galerie, by calling 330-451-0924 or online at www.secondapril.org.

This production of Twisted & Shouting is dedicated (rather appropriately, eh, Jay?) with love to our dear friend Jay Briggs, who left the party too early. We will miss you!