The Savannah Sipping Society
In this delightful, laugh-a-minute comedy, four unique Southern women, all needing to escape the sameness of their day-to-day routines, are drawn together by Fate—and an impromptu happy hour—and decide it’s high time to reclaim the enthusiasm for life they’ve lost through the years.
Over the course of six months, filled with laughter, hilarious misadventures, and the occasional liquid refreshment, Randa, Dot, Marlafaye, and Jinx successfully bond and find the confidence to jumpstart their new lives. Together, they discover lasting friendships and a renewed determination to live in the moment—and most importantly, realize it’s never too late to make new old friends.
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatist Play Service Inc. New York
April 29 - May 22, 2022
Additional Weekend Added!
7:30 PM (5:30pm Dinner) – April 29, 30; May 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21
7:00 PM (5:00pm Dinner) – May 1, 8, 15, 22
$68, all included
Covid-19 Enhancements
- 3-course plated dinner, served at your table
- All Covid protocols in effect at the time of performance will be followed
Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre
930 Burnham Street
Cobourg
BUY TICKETS
Call the Best Western at 905-372-2105
This production is made possible through the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation
Synopsis
Randa, a perfectionist and workaholic, is struggling to cope with a surprise career derailment that, unfortunately, reveals that she has no life and no idea how to get one.
Dot, still reeling from her husband’s recent demise and the loss of their plans for an idyllic retirement, faces the unsettling prospect of starting a new life from scratch—and all alone.
Earthy and boisterous Marlafaye, a good ol’ Texas gal, has blasted into Savannah in the wake of losing her tom-cattin’ husband to a twenty-three-year-old dental hygienist. The strength of her desire to establish a new life is equaled only by her desire to wreak a righteous revenge on her ex.
Also new to town, Jinx, a spunky ball of fire, offers her services as a much-needed life coach for these women. However, blinded by her determination and efforts to get their lives on track, she over-looks the fact that she’s the one most in need of sage advice.
Over the course of six months, filled with laughter, hilarious misadventures, and the occasional liquid refreshment, these middle-aged women successfully bond and find the confidence to jumpstart their new lives. Together, they discover lasting friendships and a renewed determination to live in the moment—and most importantly, realize it’s never too late to make new old friends.
Cast & Creative Team
Photography by Jeannie Gane
Dot - Brenda Worsnop
Jinx - Heather Jopling
Marlafaye - Honor Sylvester
Randa - Katherine Shuker
Grandmother Covington - Barbara Horscroft
Producers - Donna & Tim Paulsen
Director - Cynthia Langford
Stage Manager - Fran Martin
Assistant Stage Manager - Ashley Larrimore
Assistant Stage Manager - Solveig Barber
Costumes - Grace Price
Set Design/Decorator - Chris Nevin
Props - Jenny Ryan
Lighting/Sound - Matt Blundell
Gallery
Reviews
Northumberland News Review, May 2022
The craziness starts in Savannah in the juice bar of a yoga studio and ends on a hotel balcony. In between, four incomparable characters, drawn together by fate, do a lot of talking, sharing, comparing, reminiscing, wishing and bitching. And a lot of sipping.
First, we meet Savannah Sipper Randa (Kate Shuker), a tightly wound, perfectionist workaholic who has recently been summarily dismissed from her job with an architectural firm. She was escorted from the premises. She was gobsmacked. She soon realizes that she has no life outside her job and no idea how to get one.
Next, meet Savannah Sipper Dot (Brenda Worsnop), a recent widow, who is reeling from her husband’s recent demise and is also quietly furious that he died just as he was about to retire, thus cancelling their plans for an idyllic retirement. She now faces the unsettling prospect of starting a new life from scratch – and all alone. She and Randa meet in the juice bar
The third Savannah Sipper is Marlafaye (Honor Sylvester), who inserts herself at Randa’s and Dot’s table. Marlafaye is new to Savannah, having just moved from Texas after her husband took up with a 23 year old dental hygienist. Marlafaye is not sure what she wants more: a new life or revenge on her tom-catting husband. (“A husband’s ideal weight? 4 lbs, including the urn!”)
And our final Sipper, also new to Savannah, is Jinx (Heather Jopling). Jinx has her own tale. She’s a spunky ball of fire, a wanderer, never happy in one place, or with one person. She’s come to Savannah to care for a beloved sister with dementia. She offers her services as a much-needed life coach for our Savannah Sippers. However, blinded by her determination and efforts to get their lives on track, she overlooks the fact that she’s the one most in need of sage advice.
The Savannah Sipping Society, written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, is a laugh a minute. Fast paced and brilliantly produced, directed, and played by our Northumberland Players, who never, ever cease to amaze me. The people who design the costumes, stage manage, create and build the set, paint, engineer sound and lighting and find the props, and the scores of other people doing things we never know about. They are a Dream Team.
And the actors. Dream Team Number Two! What can I say? Perfectly cast, they each have perfect comedic timing and their ‘bits’ are amazing and very unexpected. And very clever. And very, very funny. And they each have an amazing command of the Georgia accent. (Thanks to a certain Cobourgian who speaks the language!)
Get your ticket soon! It will be a sell-out. Dinner Theatre at the Best Western. 905-372-2105. Weekends to May 15th.
Enjoy,
Selena Forsyth
The Best Western Plus Cobourg
Location
The Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre is located at the corner of Burnham/William St. and Elgin St.
Address
930 Burnham St.
Cobourg, ON
K9A 2X9
DINNER THEATRE
Dinner is served 2 hours prior to the start of the performance (5:30pm for 7:30pm shows; 5pm for 7pm shows). Enjoy a 3-course plated dinner, served at your table.