Theater News

Author: John Davis | PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida Published July 3, 2025 Listen To The Interview Players Circle Theater performs “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” The fourth wall comes crashing down in Players Circle Theater’s production of the hilarious and irreverent play “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).” This two-act play involves three actors covering all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in just 97 minutes. The show includes plenty of audience participation, improvisation, and laughs, and it’s a fast-paced and physically demanding challenge for the performers. We take a deeper

Gulf Coast News Digital Team Published July 1, 2025 Watch The Interview Backstage Pass: 'The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)' FORT MYERS, Fla. — Have you ever wanted to watch all of William Shakespeare's 37 plays but were strapped for time? Well, on Tuesday, some actors from Players Circle Theater in Fort Myers showcased their latest play, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)." The play is exactly as it sounds — every single play from Shakespeare in a condensed spoof that is equal parts ridiculous and funny. The entire show is

Kristin Voit | Florida Weekly Correspondent Published May 28, 2025 Three Women, One Lifelong Bond “Vanities: The Musical” brings friendship, fashion and the female journey to the fore Relationships are complicated, and the secrets shared between friends in a high school locker room evolve into far more complex bonds for three Texas women as their lives unfold in the Southwest Florida regional premiere of “Vanities: The Musical” at Players Circle Theater. Written by Jack Heifner (who also wrote the original play “Vanities”) with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, “Vanities: The Musical” follows the lives

Dave Elias | Reporter, Gulf Coast News Fort Myers Published May 25, 2025 Sassy, soulful and full of heart: 'Vanities' wows Fort Myers FORT MYERS, Fla. — Now playing at Players Circle Theater along McGregor Boulevard, "Vanities: The Musical" delivers a nostalgic, funny, and unexpectedly poignant portrait of friendship, femininity, and personal growth. This spirited production, running through June 8, captures the essence of Jack Heifner and David Kirshenbaum’s off-Broadway gem while adding a local charm all its own. They say a show is only as good as its performers, and at the heart

Author: John Davis | PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida Published May 23, 2025 Listen To The Interview Players Circle Theater mounts regional premiere of “Vanities: The Musical” Players Circle Theater in Fort Myers is mounting the Southwest Florida regional premiere of “Vanities: The Musical.” Adapted from Jack Heifner’s 1976 stage play (with lyrics and music by David Kirschenbaum), “Vanities” is a broadly relatable coming-of-age story exploring the joys and challenges of long-term friendships through the lives of three women as they navigate high school as cheerleaders, college as sorority sisters, and then

David Luciemable | Gulf Coast News Published April 18, 2025 Watch The Interview 'Vanities' now playing at Players Circle Theater 'Vanities' is playing from May 20 to June 8 at Players Circle Theater. FORT MYERS, Fla. — Get ready to take a musical journey through life with three best friends. "Vanities" is now playing at the Players Circle Theater in Fort Myers. Director Ted Wioncek III, along with Kimberly Suskind, Elizabeth D'Aiuto and Natalie Brouwer, joined Gulf Coast News to give us a preview of this coming-of-age story. Jack Heifner’s "Vanities" was

Happenings Magazine Published May 20, 2025 Players Circle Theater starts summer season with Vanities Players Circle Theater’s summer season kicks off in May with Vanities: The Musical (May 20 – June 8) by Jack Heifner, with lyrics & music by David Kirshenbaum. This comic musical journey follows 3 bubbly Texas teens from cheerleaders to sorority sisters to housewives, liberated women, and beyond. A true coming-of-age story, this hidden gem takes audiences through the 60s and 70s in a musical scrapbook of friends caught up in times that are a-changing. Next, Players Circle’s educational wing,

Dave Elias | Reporter, Gulf Coast News Fort Myers Published May 4, 2025 Psychological thriller ‘The Business of Murder’ keeps audiences guessing at Players Circle Theater in Fort Myers FORT MYERS, Fla. — If you're looking for a good psychological thriller then you may want to make plans to head to Players Circle Theater along McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers. This tiny theater isn't afraid to tackle some challenging shows and as usual they pull it off. "The Business of Murder" is a thriller play by Richard Harris, first performed in 1977. This story