TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Pelicans Dance To Mystery Tune

ADVERTISEMENT

By LAURA CONE The Sun

Published: March 11, 2009

It's no mystery the Pelican Players are known for their comedies and annual Follies. Now the group has a new gig: mystery theater.

Joanna Rudy of Sun City Center, a board member for Pelican Players, said members of the group have been busy performing mystery theater at different restaurants in the Sun City Center area. Rudy recently participated in a "basic dance steps for theater" workshop.

"We go into the restaurants, and in-between the salads and desserts, we put on mystery theater," Rudy said. "The audience tries to guess who did it. It's fairly new. We started it about three or four months ago."

She said typically a cast of five to eight actors participate. Some of their venues include the Apollo Beach Bistro and The Renaissance clubhouse.

"There isn't anything like that offered in the area," she said. "I think it's something people have not had the opportunity to see. It's fun to go to once in a while."

Rudy, chairwoman of play reading and workshops, said the members of the group are always trying to brush-up on the needed skills and techniques.

"If you know the basic steps it helps the choreographer," she said.

Mary Haverstock of Kings Point, who attended the dance workshop, said she has been a dancer for the Follies for the past 10 years.

"I had a great time plus I learned some new dance steps," she said. "It's so much better on the stage. You have an audience and you are performing. It's just a state of mind I enjoy."
Haverstock said she is a fan of dinner theater even though she does not act or sing.

"They are encouraging dancers to perform more in the Pelican Players skits and dinner theater," Haverstock said. "I think dinner theater is great."

Joanna and her husband William have been involved in community theater for 45 years.

When he is not busy playing his French Horn with the Antique Brass, a volunteer group which plays for nursing homes, William said he has fun with the Pelican Players. But the group is not just about fun.

"The Pelican Players raises money for scholarships for students at the local high schools to pursue the arts," William said. "Almost all of the money brought in is for the scholarship. Over $300,000 we have raised on last few years."

The Pelican Players recently wrapped up their 25th annual Follies, "The Calendar," produced by Rose Ostrander and performed at Kings Point's Borini Theatre.

They are now in rehearsal for the spring show, a two-act play called "Camelot and Broadway."

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT