Local Theatre

Players Circle Theater is mounting a production of the hilarious and irreverent play “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” through July 13. The two-act play has three actors covering all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in just 97 minutes. We take a deeper diver into the show in a conversation with director Ted Wioncek III, and actors AJ Mendini and Steven Kennedy.

Players Circle Theater is mounting the Southwest Florida regional premiere production of “Vanities: The Musical.” Adapted from Jack Heifner’s stage play, it’s a coming-of-age story exploring the joys and challenges of long-term friendships through the lives of three women as they navigate high school, college, and into adulthood, where they’ve grown into very different people. We’ll explore the show in a conversation with director Ted Wioncek, and actors Elizabeth D’Aiuto, Natalie Brouwer, and Kimberly Suskind.

Southwest Florida-based playwright Joe Simonelli is the Artistic Director of the region’s newest theater venue “Cape Café Theatre,” which is now working on it’s third production of Simonelli’s work. Meanwhile, Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre is mounting a production of Simonelli’s hilarious farce “Half Baked.” Simonelli joins us to talk about the unique Off-Broadway repertory theatre experience the new café theatre gives audiences and to explore his creative approach to playwright.

Florida Repertory Theatre’s production of playwright David Ives “Venus in Fur” explores themes of power and dominance, gender roles and feminism, sexuality and desire, and transformation and revelation. We take a deeper dive into the play with actors David McElwee and Kathleen Simmonds in a conversation recorded on the set of the play.

Next week, Players Circle Theater is set to open its production of playwright Bruce Graham’s comedic play “Flatlanders.” It’s about a couple on the way to their wedding when they get stranded in a blizzard and resort to breaking into a cabin to survive the night. We take a closer look in a conversation with director Bob Cacioppo and actors Ted Wioncek and Kimberly Suskind.

Eggs are top of mind for a lot of people right now. Back in 1595, they were for Nick and Nigel Bottom, too. In their quest to one-up William Shakespeare, they're producing history's very first musical, "Omelet."

Ahead of the final weekend of Florida Repertory Theatre’s production of playwright Steven Dietz’s time travel love story “Bloomsday,” we listen back to our conversation with the playwright recorded on the set of the Florida Rep’s production.

Laboratory Theater of Florida in Fort Myers announced this month that founding producing artistic director Annette Trossbach is retiring from the theater company. Trossbach reflects back on the triumphs and challenges that have come during her tenure, the theater’s impact on the Southwest Florida community, and highlights some of Lab Theater’s stand-out productions over the years.

A production of playwright August Wilson’s “Jitney” opens this week at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers. The play marks the eighth chronological installment in Wilson’s series known as the American Century Cycle. Set in the late 70s, “Jitney” centers on the lives of some unofficial, unlicensed taxi drivers operating in Pittsburgh’s Hill District community, where traditional taxi services wouldn’t go. We take a deeper dive in a conversation with director Sonya McCarter and actor Shontae White.

Three shows open, five productions close and 11 others continue their runs this week in Southwest Florida theaters.