By Dena Wood
The Times
'Bingo! The Winning Musical'
Beat the mid-winter blues with this fun and zippy live comedy at the Liberty Theater
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Dena Wood
The Liberty Theater's mid-winter production of "Bingo! The Winning Musical" will run Jan. 27 -29. Tickets to the lively comedy, directed by Bev Startin, are on sale now online or at the theater box office. Left: Patsy (Katie Leid), Honey (Kris Takemura), Vern (Jennie Dickenson), and Allison (Deb Fortner) react after a losing round of Bingo.
DAYTON – The Liberty Theater's production of "Bingo! The Winning Musical" will bring a welcome respite from the dark and dreary days of winter. The fun and zippy comedy debuts Jan. 27 and runs through Jan. 29.
The production is directed by Liberty veteran Bev Startin, who has produced eight variety shows and the last three Nunsense productions.
"This is a great comedy, and working with this cast has been a blast," Startin said.
The musical takes place on a dark and stormy night in a Missouri VFW Hall, where a trio of hard-core bingo-playing girlfriends are ready for their annual celebration of the birth of bingo and tribute to its founder, Edwin S. Lowe. Little do they know that in between the evening's number calling, strange rituals, and fierce competitions, love will blossom and long lost friends will reunite.
Katie Leid plays the somewhat mousy, neurotic, obsessively superstitious Patsy, and Kris Takemura portrays Honey, the extremely lovable sex kitten who is not the brightest of bulbs.
Jennie Dickinson plays Vern, a funny, robust, stubborn gal with a good heart. Deb Fortner is the optimistic, passionate, perky, and quirky Allison, while Janet Ihle is the genuinely sweet, cheerful, peacemaker, Berneice.
Roz Edwards takes a casting departure from her traditional villainess roles to play the bingo hall manager who is everyone's favorite cute, cuddly, grandma. The tall, rugged, handsome bingo caller, who takes his calling very seriously, is played by Fred Crowe.
Dena Wood
Veteran Liberty Theater director Bev Startin gives direction to the crew during a Saturday morning rehearsal.
"Bingo! The Winning Musical" has enjoyed extraordinary off-Broadway success and has achieved acclaim around the world. The fun and lively production is interactive, and the audience will participate in three Bingo games during the performance.
"We began rehearsing at the first part of December, before the fall production was over. The cast has been working fast and furiously and is doing an amazing job!" Startin said.
"Bingo! The Winning Musical" will run from Jan. 27-29, with 7 p.m. performances on Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. performances on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets are $12-$20, depending on seating location, and can be purchased online at libertytheater.org, by phone at (509) 382-1380, or at the box office. Advance purchase is recommended as shows often sell out.
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