Welcome to the Joliet Drama Guild

Bringing quality theater to the Joliet area for the past 78 years.

 The Joliet Drama Guild is proud to present The Lion in Winter, written by James Goldman and directed by Luke Pascale.

 Set in the court of Henry II, King of England (Keith White of Joliet), at Christmas of 1183, this comic drama heats up as the royal personages play a high stakes game of check and mate for power and love. The play opens with the arrival of Eleanor of Aquitaine (Kelly Johnson of Seneca), Henry’s former wife whom he has imprisoned. No simple victim, she—Eleanor fully matches her royal husband as she attempts to decide the succession between her three sons, Richard (Justin Ongenae of Shorewood), Geoffrey (Al Pindell of Shorewood), and John (Mark Parker of Joliet). Add a young mistress of the king, Alais who has been betrothed to one of his sons (Devon Ford of Joliet) and a rival monarch Phillip II (Chris Smith of Lockport), who was the son of Eleanor’s ex-husband, and you have dysfunctional family of which even the most flamboyant daytime family fight fest could be proud.

 You won’t want to miss this production. Performances will be Fridays, February 10 and 17, and Saturdays, February 11 and 18, at 8:00 PM and Sunday, February 12 and 19 at 2:00 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theater at 201 W. Jefferson, Joliet IL 60432.  Prices are $10.00 for adults, $9.00 for students, seniors, and active military.  And, of course, Guild members always receive the discount.  Click on tickets or call 1-877-JDG-1933. It’s promised to cure cabin fever and to brighten “the bleak, cold winter.”

Announcements

The next Board Meeting will be on February 5th at 2 pm at Bicentennial Park. The meeting is open to all members. Any and all members interested in volunteering for any committees this season should attend as well. Committees are open to all members. See the Board of Directors page for committee chairpersons and to contact the same. It’s a great way to have input into YOUR Joliet Drama Guild!

Production News:

The Joliet Drama Guild is pleased to announce the production schedule for the 79th Season.

Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling

September 30th - October 9th  2011

The Lion in Winter  by James Goldman

February 10th - 19th

Deathtrap  by Ira Levin

April 13th - 22nd

Lucky Stiff  By Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty

August 17th - 26th

Dates are subject to change depending on availability, so  check back and watch for announcements.

but as they say "the show must go on"!
 

Synopsis for these shows are below. We are all very excited about these shows, and anticipate a very successful season.

We are still accepting applications for directors for Deathtrap and Lucky Stiff. Please see the application form HERE. Applications are due back by October 1st.

If you have submitted an application for these shows in the past, please feel free to do so again.  Please include your name, contact information (telephone number, e-mail address home address).  As well as the list of theatre credits (acting, directing, stage managing, etc.), and a short statement of your interest in this particular show, an indication of how you would manage rehearsal time, and how you would approach the particular show you’re interested in. (all this information is available on the Director Application Form)

Steel Magnolias –Robert Harling
Revolving around Truvy's Beauty Parlor in a small parish in  modern-day Louisiana, STEEL MAGNOLIAS is the story of a close-knit  circle of friends whose lives come together there. As the picture  opens, we find Drum Eatenton shooting birds in the trees of his back yard in preparation for his daughter's wedding reception that afternoon. Shortly thereafter, M'Lynn and Shelby (Drum's wife and  daughter) depart for Truvy's to get their hair done for the  wedding. "Just the sweetest thing," Annelle Depuy Desoto (who may or may not be married because her marriage may not be legal) is  introduced to Truvy's customers as her new "glamour technician."  While in the chairs, the sour-tempered Ouiser Boudreaux shows up  and entertains the assemblage with her barbs. It seems that the only one of the group who truly understands Ouiser is Clairee who  is recently widowed and looking for a diversion. As she says, later in the picture, "If you can't find anything good to say about anybody, come sit by me." Filled with humor and heartbreak,  these "Steel Magnolias" make us laugh and cry as the realities of their lives in tiny Chiquapin Parish unfolds.

The Lion in Winter –James Goldman
James Goldman’s historical play The Lion in Winter depicts the interpersonal relationships among members of the English royal family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day of the year 1183.
The Lion in Winter concerns the interpersonal dynamics and political wrangling of King Henry; his wife Eleanor, whom he has kept imprisoned in a tower for the past ten years; and their three sons, who are vying for the privilege of being named heir to the English throne. Eleanor, who has been let out of prison to celebrate Christmas with her family, favors Richard as heir, while Henry favors John. To complicate matters, the young King Philip II of France has arrived to remind Henry of a treaty he signed many years earlier, promising to marry his heir to Philip’s sister Alais. However, Alais has been Henry’s mistress for the past seven years, and Henry is hesitant to marry her off to any of his sons.
The Lion in Winter explores themes of dysfunctional family, political maneuvering, war and peace, as well as aging, death, inheritance, and posterity. As the principle characters plot, scheme, conspire, and counter-plot between each other, the deep-seated emotional ties between them get played out in the political arena, such that sibling rivalry and marital jealousy translate into civil war, treason, and perhaps even murder among the members of a royal nuclear family. The cast consists of five men and two women.

Death Trap –Ira Levin
This famous thriller features three male roles and two female roles.  Sidney Bruhl sorely needs a hit when young playwright Clifford Anderson offers him a stunning new thriller Deathtrap.  A solution to his problem if only some roadblocks could be removed?  Who?  And how?  A psychic next door, Hilda Ten Dorp has some ideas which may disrupt Sidney and his collaborators’ plans..  This well-written thriller twists and turns, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. With roles for three men and two women.

Lucky Stiff –Aherns and Flaherty
This murder mystery farce propels a mild-mannered English shoe clerk into a lunatic mix of murdered Atlantic City croupier, his nearsighted jilted mistress, her hen-pecked brother and several hundred (off-stage) dogs. Witherspoon will inherit six million dollars if he can successfully go on holiday with his uncle, the late departed croupier, in Monte Carlo for a week. If he doesn't pull it off, the money goes to the Universal Dogs Home of Brooklyn - and if there is one thing in life that Harry hates, it's dogs! With a tuneful score and a well-oiled plot, plus the ultimate happy ending, Lucky Stiff guarantees hilarity for one and all. This ensemble cast calls for six men and four women.

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New Membership Information

The membership committee has been working hard at expanding membership benefits, as well as simplifying enrollment. All membership terms now coincide with the season. Annual membership will be in effect from September 1st to August 31st. All members were given an extension through August 31st of 2011. Being sensitive to this tough economy, this extension was given at no additional charge. As of August 31st 2011, all annual memberships will need to be renewed. New members will be charged a prorated fee for membership till August 31st of next year. For more information on membership benefits, new membership levels, and how to become a member, go to our membership page.

If your membership has just expired: expect an e-mail or post mail with information on renewing.

Check back often for news on all of our latest shows.

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