Players Circle Studio opens its inaugural production with “13.” Director Kimberly Suskind says that the coming-of-age musical was the logical choice for the Studio Players’ new educational studio.
“It’s hilarious. It’s a pop-rock score by Jason Robert Brown, so the music is just fantastic. And I think it’s just such a wonderful opening for this program because you’re just going to get to see 28 kids on a stage. You know, this is the most performers we’ve ever had on a Players Circle stage and it really is just a wall of sound and energy that hits these audiences, and they are going to go nuts for these kids.”
North Fort Myers High senior Mia Zottolo is especially excited for audiences to see the show because it’s big on nostalgia.
“I think it’s just like … It’s fun to experience what it’s like to be 13-years-old again, especially not being even close to being 13.”
Zottolo plays Patrice, a lonely girl who doesn’t fit in and has woefully few friends. Early in the play, she meets the new kid, Evan, who’s just arrived in Appleton, Indiana … the lamest place in the world.
“It’s a shame, it’s a sham, it’s a terrible pity, you got dragged away from New York City,” Patrice sings in “The Lamest Place in the World. “It’s major suck for you but it’s amazing luck for me. It’s the lamest place in the world, but it just got a little bit better. I’m happy to say.”
Director Kimberly Suskind is blessed with a stable of strong and spirited vocalists. Individually and as a group, they do justice to Jason Robert Brown’s songbook, which includes such terrific numbers as “A Little More Homework,” the party song finale “Brand New You,” and the title track, “13.”
Whether choreographed upbeat song-and-dance numbers or unabashed nostalgia are your jam, “13 the Musical” will have you humming along with the cast.
There are just four performances beginning Friday August 30th and closing with Sunday’s 3 p.m. matinee on September 1.
MORE INFORMATION:
“13” is the only Broadway musical ever with a cast and band entirely made of teenagers. It originally began previews on September 16, 2008, and officially opened on October 5, 2008, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.
The 2008 Broadway production is notable for being the professional debuts of Ariana Grande as Charlotte and Elizabeth Gillies as Lucy, who would later go on to star together in the Nickelodeon television series “Victorious.”
Mia Zottolo plays Patrice for Players Circle Studio in “13 the Musical.” At the 2024 High School Musical Theatre Awards, Mia Zottolo was runner-up for Best Supporting Performer in a Female-Identifying role for her performance in North Fort Myers High School’s production of “All Shook Up.”
Zottolo also played Patrice in “13 the Musical” for Director Kimberly Suskind in Gypsy Playhouse’s 2022 production of the musical.
From Greater Philadelphia, Kimberly Suskind is an actor, singer, dancer and director. Over the course of her career, Kimberly has worked at many professional regional theatres across the country, including Walnut Street Theatre (PA), Cape May Stage (NJ), Delaware Theatre Company (DE), The Theatre Barn (NY), Eagle Theatre (NJ), Bucks County Playhouse (PA), Nightcap Cabaret (PA), Metro Stage Company (MA) and Village Theatre & Civic Light Opera (WA).
Suskind has a BFA in Musical Theatre from the prestigious Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music, where she had the honor of studying rhythm tap with the great Aaron Tolson, her favorite style of tap to teach and perform. Kimberly has always possessed a passion to teach others and was a tap tutor for her peers throughout her four years at The Boston Conservatory. As a result, she was awarded the prestigious Sue Ronson Levy tap scholarship toward her BFA.
While at The Boston Conservatory, she was a member and soloist of the Hoofers Tap Ensemble, which performed all over the greater Boston area. Prior to college, Kimberly’s love of tap was fostered by studying with several notable names in the tap world such as Dianne Walker, Lane Alexander, Sam Weber & Tim Hickey.
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