By The TimesLedger
The Rockaway Park Playhouse jumpstarts its series of original productions for family audiences with “Lucky Sal’s Last Sale” this weekend. Performances are Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. during the month of October at the quaint theatre located at 160 Beach 116th St.
“Lucky Sal’s Last Sale” follows the comic adventures of two good luck charm salesmen as they learn the perils of relying too much on superstition. With cast members coming from Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, this is the first production in an ambitious series which promises weekly performances of a new play every month.
Suitable for children of all ages, the original plays, written and directed by Della Doherty, pack a lesson for the kiddies while keeping the adults entertained as well. “With all the smart-alecky, cynical children’s entertainment out there,” said Doherty, a Marine Park native and veteran director at the Rockaway Park Playhouse, “I want to create something more wholesome. Call me corny, but I plan to teach the kids something in every play.”
With the establishment of the Rockaway Theatre Company in Fort Tilden, the Globe Theatre Company, and a handful of acting and directing workshops taking place throughout the area, the Rockaways have been experiencing a theatre revival that began about 10 years ago when John Baxter, a retired carpenter, gutted the main floor of his landmark 167-year-old building to build the charming Rockaway Park Playhouse.
“Everyone thought I was crazy to build a playhouse on Beach 116th Street, but little by little, theaters are popping up throughout the peninsula,” said Baxter, who performs in many of the Playhouse’s productions. “I think it’s great.”
“Lucky Sal’s Last Sale” runs every Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. during October. Take the whole family for an afternoon of wholesome fun. For more information, call 252-6102 or write to weeunsproductions@hotmail.com.
