Andrews Osborne Academy kicks off its 4th annual Willoughby Summer Theater Festival with three exciting shows including:” The Gin Game”, “You Can’t Take It With You” and “The Importance of Being Earnest”. Tickets are FREE but reservations are strongly encouraged. Shows take place between July 26, 2024, and August 4, 2024. Productions are made possible through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. Visit andrewsosborne.org and click on the summer theater festival tab for more information and free tickets. “The Gin Game” by Donald Colburn won the Tony for Best Play. Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey meet on the porch of their nursing home and strike up a friendship, with Weller teaching Fonsia how to play gin rummy. As they play, they share stories about the lives they led in the outside world. But when Fonsia wins every hand, Weller becomes increasingly frustrated, until their gin games and conversations become a battleground. The Gin Game becomes a metaphor of life, with each player exposing the other’s failures, disappointments and insecurities. This production features Stephen Morse as Weller Martin and Kate Williams Bernardo as Fonsia Dorsey. This production is directed by Michael Rogan with stage management by Helen Rizi Rogan. “You Can’t Take It With You”, by Kaufman and Hart won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Academy Award for Best Picture. Grandpa Vanderhof and his wacky family, the Sycamores, have been happily living their zany lives in his house by Columbia University in New York for many years. This family (and their friends) are a madcap group of eccentrics, marching to the beat of their own drum, with pride and joy. “You Can’t Take It With You” is a madcap, idealistic comedy that reinforces the idea that you can only live life to the fullest by doing whatever makes you happy. This production features Tom Wenzt as Grampa Vanderhof, Halle Graham as Alice, Zoc Fromme as Tony, Steph Wismer as Penelope, Joe Daprano as Paul, Chris Herak as Mr. Kirby, Jennifer Vladic as Mrs. Kirby, and Robert Haag as Kolenkov. Rounding out the cast are John Roskos, Christina Katsara, Ian Graham, Angela Rich, Tommy Kim, Denise Bothe, and Kim Bixenstein. This production is directed by Artistic Director Darryl Lewis with stage management by Amanda Graham. “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde. Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew are both in love with a man named "Earnest Worthing" Jack and Algernon are not in any sense of the word "Earnest," but both are willing to do anything to change their names to be with them. In this trivial comedy for serious people, watch as these two hypocritical Victorian aristocrats humble themselves just so they can wind up with the girl of their dreams. This production features Zach Loest as Algernon Moncrieff, Justin Steck as John (Jack) / “Ernest” Worthing, Caralyn Steck as Gwendolen Fairfax, April Needham as Cecily Cardew, Mark Hilan as Lady Augusta, Lesley Gildart and Miss Prism, Preston Postle as Reverend Canon Chasuble, and Robert Haag as Lane/Merriman. This production is directed by Chris Bizup with stage management by Brittany Nichole. www.DarrylLewis.mysite.com 216-406-1699