JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

The director of Jonesborough Repertory Theatre’s “The Dixie Swim Club,” Nancy Hope Major, was familiar with the subject matter of the play. It’s about five women who get together each year for a long weekend at the beach – free from jobs, kids and husbands.

“I’m part of a group who get together each year,” Major said. “I did have a concept of this, an understanding of the script, from the beginning, and it’s been such a fun experience.

“I’m curious to find out myself what the audiences think about it. Ladies will anticipate some of what kind of thing goes on during these weekends, and men with inquiring minds who have people who engage in this type of reunion will want to find out what goes on. This play is a good way to learn some of the things they may not know.”

The play, a comedy written by Asheville’s Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, opens today and runs each weekend through June 7. Hope, who has plenty of theater experience, is making her directorial debut.

“I first met Nancy Hope four years ago,” JRT artistic director Kathleen Buttolph said. “She auditioned and was cast in the show that re-opened JRT in 2004 – ‘Maggie’s Getting Married.’ Nancy Hope is a woman of many talents. Not only is she an amazing actress, but she has a great eye for the stage. She knows the world of theater and has embraced the directing process with finesse.”

Major said when she first read the play, she was hooked.

“It is a comedy, but is close to real life,” she said. “People can come and see if they see themselves onstage, or someone near and dear to them. I see something of all five of them in my life.

“You’ve got five very diverse ladies in this play who lead very different lives, but they like to meddle into each other’s lives. As the play goes along, with each scene you find out something really different about each character.”

The plot description is as follows: Five Southern ladies met 20 years ago on their college swim team. Calling themselves The Dixie Swim Club and vowing to stick together, they “set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. They meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other’s lives,” explains Dramatists Play Service. The play brings the gals back together in their 40s and takes the audience through a lifetime of love, laughter and celebration of friendship.

The play has a cast of only five, all new to the JRT. Katy Rosolowski plays Sheree, Janie Jessee is Lexie, Stacey Bracey is Dinah, Anne Reever Osborne is Jeri Neal and Emily Newland plays Vernadette.

“It’s amazing, not even knowing these ladies, how many real characteristics they have in common with their characters,” Major said. “You find that if you develop it even more, it’s so much fun for all of us – to see them accept each other, how they love to tease, to carry on, to be there for each other. Women have great capacity for bonding.”

Major also had high praise for the rest of the crew for the production: “The behind-the-scenes people are as important as the ones you see onstage. You could not do it without them. I cannot give enough thanks to them.”

Performances of The Dixie Swim Club are today and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., with the same schedule for the next two weekends: Fridays and Saturdays at 8, Sundays at 2. The play is suitable for ages 12 and up. There is no bad language but there are occasional adult topics.

The Dixie Swim Club is sponsored by Aerojet and SunTrust Bank. The Opening Night Gala is sponsored by Main Street Café & Catering. The opening night audience is invited to Main Street Café to meet some very special guests and enjoy free desserts, coffee and treats.

Article courtesy of johnsoncitypress.com