Charlotte’s Off-Broadway cancels Oct 19 - 22 performances of current show THUMBS, but plans shows as scheduled on Oct 27, 28, and 29 and extends run to add shows on Nov 2, 3, 4 and 5 at the COB space at the VAPA Center, 700 N. Tryon Street
Get tickets to THUMBS: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=cob
Due to a positive Covid test by one of the actors in our current show Thumbs, Charlotte’s Off-Broadway is cancelling the shows on Oct 19, 20, 21 and 22, but extending the run to add shows on Nov 2, 3, 4 and 5, 2022.
Tickets are $35 plus a $2 administrative fee. COB invites you to support home-grown professional theater for Charlotte, NC!
Charlotte audiences who saw the production of THUMBS during the opening week Oct 13, 14 and 15 loved the hilarious, cantankerous mystery comedy thriller written by Rupert Holmes.
The show is the inaugural production at the 55-seat COB Black Box Theater inside the VAPA Center at 700 N. Tryon Street in uptown Charlotte.
COB Managing Producer Anne Lambert, who is also a cast member in the show, made the decision to cancel the performances for the week of Oct 19.
“The entire cast and crew is vaccinated, but we’ve been testing weekly, and we had a protocol in place just in case,” Lambert said. “We want people to be safe and feel comfortable when they visit the new COB black box space at the VAPA Center.”
These performances of THUMBS are cancelled:
Wed Oct 19 7:30 pm (‘Pay What You Can’) – cancelled
Thurs Oct 20 7:30 pm – cancelled
Fri Oct 21 8:00 pm – cancelled
Sat Oct 22 8:00 pm – cancelled
The cast and crew will return to the production run for the three shows already scheduled for the following week:
Thurs Oct 27 7:30 pm – Yes
Fri Oct 28 8:00 pm – Yes
Sat Oct 29 8:00 pm – Yes
And, COB is announcing an extension of the run of THUMBS with four added shows:
Wed Nov 2 7:30 pm – ‘Pay What You Can’ show - Yes
Thurs Nov 3 7:30 pm – Yes
Fri Nov 4 8:00 pm – Yes
Sat Nov 5 8:00 pm - Yes
Any patrons with tickets to one of the cancelled shows will be rescheduled to see another show. Patrons are asked to Anne via email atcharlottesoffbroadway@gmail.com or call her at (704) 589-9146 to let her know which show they want to attend. Their tickets will be switched to the new show, and patrons will receive an email confirmation for their new night.
If patrons cannot attend one of the other shows, their money will be refunded. Patrons also have the option to donate the ticket purchase as a contribution to COB.
Regular tickets are $35 (general seating) plus a $2 administrative fee, and can be purchased at: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=144609
Thumbs is full of twists and turns taking the audience on a fun-filled thought-provoking journey. It reverses traditional thriller roles, featuring two finely crafted female characters, played by Stephanie DiPaolo and Anne Lambert, to keep you on your toes for two hours of pleasurable and shocking theatre. The Sheriff is on the trail of a serial killer, whose perverse predilection – cutting off people’s thumbs – gives the play its title.
The playwright called Thumbs “a mystery comedy,” in the manner ofDeathtrap. “It’s not just a whodunnit, but a whydunit.” Playwright-songwriter Holmes is widely known for the hit singles "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" (1979) and "Him" (1980) and for his musicals The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which earned him two Tony Awards, and Curtains.
The cast features an impressive lineup of local actors and includes Stephanie DiPaolo, Adam Donshik, Jason Loughlin, Mark Scarboro and Anne Lambert, under the direction of Brian Lafontaine. Read the playbill HERE.
The VAPA center is located at 700 N. Tryon Street. Parking at the VAPA Center is free. Complimentary snacks and beverages served at the performances. Donations encourage but not required.
For more information about Charlotte’s Off-Broadway visit: www.charlottesoffbroadway.com
Bios:
Stephanie DiPaolo (MARTA DUNHILL) was most recently seen on stage in Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche at the Stage Door Theater and, originally, at The Warehouse Performing Arts Center. Stephanie has been performing on Charlotte stages for the past 20 years and performed in Chicago before moving here. Off-stage she spends her time working for the government, maneuvering the antics of her adult children, traveling near and far with her husband, gardening and reading.
Adam Donshik (FREDDIE BRADSHAW) spent over a decade in LA before escaping east for saner pastures. Adam’s credits include Regional Theatre: Falling (NY), The Tenth Man (LA), Lost Angeles (LA), Love’s Labor’s Lost(DC), Two Gentlemen of Verona (MA). TV: The Resident; Mister Mercedes; House of Cards; Elementary. Film:Goodbye, Butterfly; The Other Zoey; We Were One (Elevate Film Festival Best Actor Award). He holds a BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and an MFA from the Academy for Classical Acting at the George Washington University. He currently resides in Charlotte with one wife, two kids, three dogs, and a partridge in a pear tree.www.donshik.com
Jason Loughlin (TODD MONROE) is thrilled to be performing in Charlotte again. A Charlotte native and graduate of the institute formerly known as UNC-Charlotte, Jason has performed in Machinal and The Audience on Broadway, the National Tour of Warhorse and in many regional productions throughout the country, including as Sam Phillips in The Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of Million Dollar Quartet.
Mark Scarboro (WILTON DEKES) is thrilled to return to the stage to reprise a role he originally played 21 years ago in Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte’s world premiere production THUMBS in 2001. Mark’s resume includes a variety of film (Max, Jacob’s Ladder), television (Banshee, Drop Dead Diva, TURN) and theater credits (Felix Unger in The Odd Couple) over the years. His favorite role is playing ‘Dad’ to his 11-year-old daughter and ‘Hubby’ to his wife of 18 years. He is grateful for their love, patience, and support.
Anne Lambert (SHERRIF JANE MORTON) is an actor, director and producer. Favorite recent roles include Andrea in COB’s production of My Dinner with Andrea at the Arts Factory, the Nurse in Shakespeare in Love at CPCC, various roles in Three Bone Theatre’s Oslo, the Stepmother in Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella for Uwharrie Players, and Mattie Fae Aiken in two different productions of August: Osage County (Lee Street/St. Thomas Players and Carolina Actor’s Studio Theater. Anne is especially grateful to her husband of 33 years, Tim Waples.www.charlottesoffbroadway.com
Brian Lafontaine (DIRECTOR) has been appearing on stage and in film and tv for 30 years. He has performed Off Broadway, as well as regionally with Charlotte Repertory Theater, Flat Rock Playhouse, Actor’s Theater of Charlotte, Children’s Theater of Charlotte, and most recently as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple at Theatre Charlotte. You may have seen Brian in television shows such as Ozark, Ordinary Joe, TURN, Stranger Things, and Homeland, just to name a few. On the “big screen” you may have seen him recently in The Hate U Give and 12 Mighty Orphans, and he can currently be seen in The Contractor opposite Chris Pine and Kiefer Sutherland. Brian has been seen and heard in countless commercials on camera and voice overs. He also hosts a podcast calledYou May Have Seen that can be found anywhere you get your podcasts. Brian is incredibly honored and excited to be directing this project with this amazing cast and crew.
