WOOLWICH TWP. — On Dec. 3, 4 and 5, the Kingsway Regional High School Theater Department will transport you to the world of New York City 1954, the Golden Age of Live Television. It was the age when comedy was king and comic stars like Sid Caesar, Milton Berle and Jackie Gleason performed live and millions of Americans laughed together every Saturday night.
In My Favorite Year, Benjy Stone is the freshman writer on TV’s hottest show, The Queen Bea Comedy Cavalcade, a live 90 minute show that broadcasts live on Saturday nights at eight. Each week the writers must come up with a new show for its demanding, and at times crazy, star Beatrice Starr.
Yet an even more daunting task drops into Benjy’s lap. Benjy must babysit matinee idol and Hollywood wild man, Alan Swann who happens to be Benjy’s boyhood hero. Swann is in town to guest star on this week’s live broadcast.
Benjy’s mission is to keep Swann sober, make sure he attends each rehearsal, and that he shows up on time for the live broadcast Saturday night. Benjy must accomplish all that or be fired.
It proves to be no easy task for Benjy as Swann more than lives up to his wild bad boy reputation with comic results. Yet when Benjy gets an unexpected glimpse into Swann’s broken heart, he begins to discover a thing or two about friendship, life and love.
Come see My Favorite Year adapted and directed by Andrew Young featuring a cast of 40 Kingsway drama students. My Favorite Year has comedy, singing, dancing, drama, good guys and good girls, bad boys and bad girls, sword fights, not one but two (comic) brawls and romance galore.
Come laugh, come cry then laugh again as everyone lives happily ever after. At least until next week’s show.
My Favorite Year premieres in Kingsway Regional High School’s Eitel Theater on Dec. 3 and runs through Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. with a special Saturday matinee on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m.
Tickets on sale now but are selling fast. You can buy them at the door, but it is highly recommended to reserve your tickets in advance via email to younga@kingsway.k12.nj.us. Please type “Tix for Favorite Year” in the subject line, specify the size of your party and the date of the performance(s) you wish to attend.
Admission is $11. All proceeds go to future productions of Kingsway Theater Department. Groups of 10 or more will receive a 10 percent discount.
