Gilda CAN be a drama queen!

There\’s a first time for everything.

I\’ve said from our inception 5 years ago that there is enough drama in real life and that Gilda Shedstecker Presents! would be dedicated to the honorable and worthy goal of making the world laugh. Well, chiefly we make each other laugh, and then invite you all to come laugh with us, and a great time is had by everybody. As long  as I\’m directing the shows in this troupe then by God we\’re gonna laugh!

So I guess it\’s a good thing that I\’m sharing the director\’s seat with Jacki Dietz, because Miss Dietz has  proposed an incredible drama for us to share with you!*

The Other Place by Sharr White premiered off-Broadway in 2011 and then returned in a hit run in 2013 to the Great White Way. Starring Laurie Metcalfe (known as Roseanne\’s sister and Sheldon\’s mom, yes, that Laurie Metcalfe) in a Tony-nominated role as leading researcher Juliana Smithton in this psychological thriller, this show deals with the contemporary horrors of losing a child, losing a marriage, or perhaps losing a mind.

Juliana and Ian\’s only daughter ran away from home when she was 15, and it\’s miraculous when she contacts Juliana as an adult herself to reconcile, now with children and a husband of her own. Juliana is happy to have Laurel\’s family move into the family\’s other place, a Cape Cod beach house. But something isn\’t right with the arrangement and Laurel\’s return, a harbinger of doubt and fear in Juliana\’s world. The truth is chilling and gladness begins to crumble.

Starring as Juliana in our GSP production is Bridget Bazzinotti, with Patrice Rittenhouse, Grady Provance, Gretchen Scott, and Doug Tennant as Ian (right, I\’m not directing a drama, but I\’m sure as hell acting in this one!). Tawny Plumley Burkhardt is stage manager for the esteemed director, Jacki Dietz. Performances are May 13, 14, 20, and 21 at 8:00 pm at The Kathleen Howland Theatre at 324 Cleveland Ave NW, Canton, Ohio. Tickets are available by calling 330-451-0924 or at secondapril.org. The show does contain adult language and situations and is charged with tension so parental discretion is advised.

For something entirely different, not just for GSP audiences but Canton area fans of theatre in general, come see The Other Place! But don\’t see it alone, because sometimes real truth is terrifying.

*Now seeing as how the nature of this show goes completely against the grain of the Gilda Shedstecker Presents! mission of mirth, we officially present it as a Flip Side to our usual fare. Hence, the distinction as a Gilda Shedstecker Flip Side Production! When you see this notation, you\’ll know Gilda may tremble, gasp, or even sob. Bring on the drama!