PRESS RELEASE

SEPTEMBER 2022

HURRICANE IAN UPDATE: The Great American Trailer Park Musical presented by Florida School of the Arts.
Due to Hurricane Ian, performances scheduled for 9/29 and 9/30 have been canceled. Performances for 10/1 at 7:30 p.m. and 10/2 at 2:30 p.m. will be held as scheduled, weather and power permitting. Both shows will be FREE to the public.

Please refer to the College's alert web page at https://www.sjrstate.edu/alert.html for the latest information.

FloArts presents “The Great American Trailer Park Musical”

Welcome to Armadillo Acres Trailer Park, where bad decisions are everyone’s business. This all-American musical odyssey is set in a vintage Florida trailer park featuring hints of ‘80s nostalgia, spray cheese, roadkill, guns and disco. Set in the early 1990s, this light comedy airs everyone’s dirty laundry, including a love triangle between an agoraphobe, a highway toll collector and an exotic dancer with an unhinged ex-boyfriend.

Florida School of the Arts presents “The Great American Trailer Park,” book by Betsy Kelso, Music and lyrics by David Nehls, September 29 – October 2, through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday and 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $10. The performance contains adult content and language.

FloArts play director Russell Franks said although the musical promises a rip-roaring good time, it also reminds us how much we have in common. “While it might seem like the musical pokes fun at people who live in trailer parks, it’s actually the opposite of that. There is a sense of informality and community, which is the lifeblood of neighborhoods everywhere,” Franks said. “The play takes a light-hearted approach to demonstrate that no matter what side of the tracks you’re from, everyone has the same hopes, the same wants, needs and problems as everyone else.”

The cast in order of appearance are McKayla Whiteside as Betty, Maggie Ann Rashaw as Lin, Hannah Seyler as Pickles, Corey McKinney as Norbert, Natalie Drake as Jeannie, Sydney Sheffield as Pippi, and Eric Barnum as Duke.

Supernumeraries are Christi Arnold, Austin Butcher, Elisa Crivelli, Jonray Roman Hernandez and Teoman Karaagac.

Production leads are Kandie Smith, musical director; Jessica Mayhew-Borrero, choreography; Emily Schafer, costume design; Tim Castell, scenic design; and Victoria Sanders, lighting and sound design.

Production crew includes Caleb Rose, stage manager; Tiffany Jordan, costume shop supervisor; McKayla Whiteside, assistant musical director; Padraig Kinnare, assistant stage manager; Madelyn Considine, assistant to the lighting designer; Kennedy Largin, assistant to the scene designer; Dianette Moore, props master; Lourdes Bados, projection designer; Kennedy Largin, Dianette Moore, sound board operators; Madelyn Considine, light board operator; Lourdes Bados, projections operator; Lindsey Spaulding, wardrobe supervisor; and Angelica Cintron Caraballo, Shera Hebblewhite, dressers.

Costume construction Crew: Alexis Brown, Olivia Burton, Angelica Cintron Caraballo, Heidi “Jo” Fletcher, Shera Hebblewhite, Reid Norris, Lindsey Spaulding, and Evan Tomczak. Scenic construction crew: Todd Allen, Lourdes Bados, Eric Barnum, Zachary Brunke, Madelyn Considine, Elisa Crivelli, Kwabena Flewellyn, Kennedy Largin, Corey McKinney, Dianette Moore, Sara Tierney, and Caleb Urbistondo.

The musical also includes a live band featuring FloArts’ own Dean, Alain Hentschel on drums, Curtis Powell on piano, Nolan Arnold on lead guitar, and John Mortensen on electric bass.

Serving the entire state of Florida, FloArts is part of the academic and administrative structure of SJR State and awards associate degrees in acting, dance performance, musical theater, stage management, theater technology, graphic design/new media and studio art. Admission is based on an audition or portfolio review, an interview with the faculty and admission to SJR State.

For more information about Florida School of the Arts, call 386-312-4300 or visit FloArts.




PHOTO CAPTIONS:
Things are in an uproar at the Armadillo Acres Trailer Park, but it’s nothing a good song can’t fix. Florida School of the Arts presents “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” September 29 – October 2. From left: Maggie Ann as Lin, McKayla Whiteside as Betty, Corey McKinney as Norbert, Hannah Seyler as Pickles, and Natalie Drake as Jeannie.

“Let’s lay down the facts that we live this side of the tracks.” Florida School of the Arts presents “The Great American Trailer Park Musical” September 29 – October 2. From left: McKayla Whiteside, Sydney Sheffield, Eric Barnum, Corey McKinney, Hannah Seyler, Natalie Drake and Maggie Ann.

 

 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Susan Kessler
Director of Public Relations and Publications
(386) 312-4021