CARTHAGE, Mo. —
This weekend will be the opening performance of Stone’s Throw Dinner Theatre’s production of “Nana’s Naughty Knickers.”
It may sound a bit old-fashioned, but the play is set in contemporary times in a New York City apartment.
The modern comedy, written in 2010, is the first effort of Katherine DiSavino, and it already has been performed by numerous community theater groups around the country and in Canada. It is based on the troubles of Bridget, a young woman pursuing a law career who has come to stay with her favorite grandmother during the summer. She finds that Grandma is illicitly selling handmade “naughty knickers” to every senior citizen in the five-borough area.
Not only is Sylvia, the 83-year-old grandmother, selling the underwear out of her home without a license, or the knowledge of her landlord, she is not declaring her business on her IRS form either.
Bridget wonders which will come first, an arrest or an eviction. The eviction could be the worst outcome because the apartment, where Sylvia has been living since the early 1930s, is rent-controlled.
Sylvia’s cohort in crime is Vera, another tenant of the apartment building whose two hearing aids and collapsible walker are props instigating some of the jokes. This sounds like a play that could easily be overacted and just descend into silliness. With two of the major roles, Sylvia and Vera, being handled by comedic veterans Judy Boyd and Linda Bailey, I don’t think that is going to happen.
Bridget is played by Hannah Marsh. Tom, the concerned and helpful policeman on the beat who looks out for Sylvia, is performed by Mike Smith. Other roles are filled by George Platt, Neal Ruggeberg, Carl Cunningham, Wisper Gubser and Betty Bell. The director is Bill Welsh.
Altogether there will be seven performances of “Nana’s Naughty Knickers”: Feb. 1, 2 and 3, Feb. 8, 9 and 10, and a special Valentine’s Day performance on Thursday, Feb. 14.
On Fridays and Saturdays, the doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. For Sunday performances, the doors open at 12:30 p.m., with dinner at 1 p.m. and the curtains rising at 2 p.m.
The Valentine’s Day show will follow the Friday and Saturday night schedules. The cost of admission will be $25, which includes valentine goodies of flowers and candy.
Regular prices are $22 for adults, $19 for seniors over 55, and $10 for children ages 6-12. For reservations, people may call 417-358-9665. There is special pricing for groups of 10 or more.
Since her initial effort, DiSavino has written another play, “Things My Mother Taught Me,” another comedy that looks at generational differences.
Address correspondence to Jo Ellis, c/o The Joplin Globe, Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802 or email news@joplinglobe.com.
Local News
Jo Ellis: ‘Naughty Knickers’ producers offer Feb. 14 sweetheart deal at Carthage theater
- Local News
-
-
Jasper County to start enforcing newly adopted nuisance ordinance
Jasper County has received 15 complaints based on a new nuisance ordinance adopted earlier this spring, members of the County Commission said Tuesday. John Bartosh, presiding commissioner, said he and the other commissioners reviewed the complaints during a meeting last week with workers at the Jasper County Health Department.
-
Neosho School Board votes to boost custodians’ salaries
Action taken Monday night by the Neosho Board of Education on salaries was designed partly to retain custodians. The measure approved by the board gives custodians, with a starting salary of $8.77 an hour, a 10 percent raise.
-
Mike Pound: Carthage holding parties for a good cause
When my wife told me that we were going to host a party, I had only one question: Why? My wife might be the party-hosting sort of person, but I am not. She said this party was for a good cause. She also told me that our friends Lana and Bill, Lee Ann and Rob, and Amy and Jimmy were going to help host it.
-
Proposal would reduce 20th Street to two lanes
A design proposal that would convert much of 20th Street into two lanes instead of four from Main Street to Campbell Parkway to make room for streetscape and green features did not draw much public support on Tuesday.
-
Local runners show support for Boston in cross-country relay
After completing the Boston Marathon on April 15, Ashleigh Beyersdorfer made her way through the throngs of runners to retrieve the bag she had checked in and was on her way to meet up with her family when she heard the explosions.
-
MSSU board to complete terms of president’s departure
The Board of Governors of Missouri Southern State University will meet Wednesday to complete the terms of the agreement that terminated President Bruce Speck’s contract, board Chairwoman Sherry Buchanan said.
-
State’s key witness testifies in murder trial
The fate of Dustin Boggs may ultimately depend on the credibility of Arturo Council. If jurors believe Council, then Boggs, 25, could be convicted of first-degree murder in the 2012 stabbing and shooting death of his ex-girlfriend, Danyel Borden, 21, at his trial this week in Ottawa County District Court.
-
Swimmers attempt to set world record
Even before the instructor had finished giving his direction to the class of young swimmers, 4-year-old Alexa DeBerry had dunked herself underwater and had come up giggling.
-
Missouri moves to lift ban on foreign farm owners
Weeks before a Chinese conglomerate agreed to buy Smithfield Foods Inc. in the largest such takeover of a U.S. business, Missouri lawmakers quietly approved legislation removing a ban on foreign ownership of agricultural land.
-
Neosho Board of Education approves 10 percent raise in effort to keep custodians
School custodians are receiving the biggest percentage raise among salaries approved Monday by the Neosho Board of Education.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Jasper County to start enforcing newly adopted nuisance ordinance
