SHEFFIELD-The Ritz Theatre is presenting four performances of the hilarious comedy Savannah Sipping Society from Aug. 24 through 27. The play follows four Southern women as they discover new and lasting friendships. Showtimes for Thursday through Saturday are 7:30 p.m., while the Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 and available in advance at tennesseevalleyarts.org.
The Savannah Sipping Society is the latest Jones Hope Wooten Comedy produced by The Ritz and directed by Andrew Maples and Laura Connolly. Playwrights Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten are known for their laugh-out-loud comedies that feature vivid, strong roles for women.
This latest production features four women played by Connie Clayton, Gail Brooks Allen, Tori Helms, and Kaylee Willingham. Needing to escape the sameness of their day-to-day routines, they are drawn together by Fate—and an impromptu happy hour. They decide it’s high time to reclaim the enthusiasm for life they’ve lost through the years.
“This show has characters that we can all relate to,” says cast member Allen. “You can expect some laughter along with a few solemn moments. I hope by the end of the show, the audience will feel like they have been pulled into the friendship that the Savannah Sipping Society has with one another.”
Allen is a Ritz Theatre regular, having recently worked with directors Connolly and Maples on last year’s Deliver Us From Mama! in the title role. She also served as music director for their 2020 production of Smoke on the Mountain.
“I’ve known and worked with Andrew and Laura for many years,” says Allen. “We all know how each other thinks and works, and they know how to encourage me in my performance and understanding of my character. They are always open to our thoughts and ideas as actors, and it’s a team effort. It is truly like being part of a family.”
In addition to establishing these theatre families, the Ritz Theatre also has a strong focus on training and supporting up-and-coming talent. For cast member Kaylee Willingham, Savannah Sipping Society is her first community theatre production, after having acted in plays in high school.
“What I have enjoyed the most about this production is getting to know everyone and who they are as their characters on stage,” says Willingham. “Having a smaller cast for my first production made it easier to talk to one another, and we have been able to get closer through those talks. It was the best production for my first community theatre play.”
Audiences can expect a hilarious, relatable play with characters that feel familiar.
“My favorite thing about this play is that all of the characters are strangers who bond through the similar experiences they are facing,” says Willingham. “It’s very easy to get engulfed into this show because it has real moments that almost everyone can relate to. It’s a great story about life
itself.”
To get tickets or to learn more about the Tennessee Valley Art Association, which runs the Ritz Theatre, visit tennesseevalleyarts.org or call 256-383-0533.
