The Island Players are raising the curtain on their 77th season with a diverse lineup.
“We’re not just putting on shows; we’re creating memories that last long after the final bow,” the community theater group stated in a news release.
The 2025-26 season’s quintet of productions spans genres — from screwball comedy to political satire.
The season opener, “Janus,” hits the boards Sept. 18-28 under the direction of Mike Lusk, promising mistaken identity hijinks, chaos and a side of romantic entanglement.
Come November, the Players will present “Doublewide, Texas Christmas,” in which residents of America’s tiniest town must band together to save their community and pull off a holiday miracle. Director Kelly Wynn Woodland promises hometown hilarity with heart.
The new year brings murder most foul with “Murder by Misadventure,” a thriller that puts two television writers center stage as they plot the perfect crime on paper and in reality. Director Heiko Knipfelberg’s production promises classic British suspense with enough twists to keep audiences guessing.
Spring arrives with Preston Boyd directing “The Second Time Around,” a tender exploration of late-in-life romance that proves love stories don’t expire with an AARP membership.
The season concludes with James Thaggard directing “The Outsider,” a sharp political satire about a number-cruncher who becomes the face of a major political campaign despite wanting nothing to do with politics.
Season tickets are available through Aug. 25, offering the best seats at the best prices.
Co-producers this season include LaPensee Plumbing, Pools & Air, Sato Real Estate, Ginny’s and Jane E’s, Off Stage Ladies and the Ugly Grouper.
For more information, call 941-778-7374 or go online to theislandplayers.org.
Auditions set for ‘Janus’
The Island Players will hold open auditions Sunday, July 27, for “Janus,” the first play of the community theater’s 77th season.
The show, directed by Mike Lusk, will run Sept. 18-28 at the theater, 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria.
The auditions — parts for three men and two women — will be at 7 p.m. at the theater.
For more information, call 941-778-7374 or go online to www.theislandplayers.org.