Charlie was a demon lover, a connoisseur of wines and the possessor of a fine backhand. He met his end trying to escape through a porthole on a cuckold's yacht. Now Charlie has returned as a woman, and his big problem is changing his personality from male to female. The transformation of attitudes, gestures and expressions is hilarious. Posing as Charlie's wife, his female reincarnation meets several of his mistresses and begins a collection for a memorial to Charlie at $5000 apiece. Meanwhile Charlie's friend, played by Sidney Chaplin, has begun to feel a different kind of affection for the new Charlie. "Axelrod's premise is a very funny one." N.Y. Daily News. "[Axelrod] is still profligate with gags and his imagination is weirdly wonderful." N.Y. World Telegram & Sun.
The Cast
Danny Armitage - George Tracy
Danny has just been re-elected to the Playhouse 51 Board as the Executive Director for the third year and he wants to encourage everyone in the community to come out and join the community theater in Millington. This is the fifth show that Danny has done with Playhouse 51. Love Letters, The Rainmaker, and It’s a Wonderful Life in an acting capacity and he directed Bell Book and Candle. His theater background covers 30 years in many different capacities. His credits in Memphis include productions with Theater Memphis, Playhouse of the Square, Circuit Playhouse, Germantown Community Theater and the old Gaslight Dinner Theater. He has also worked in professional theater in Florida and Alabama. For more than 30 years he has been committed to not getting involved romantically with actresses. and that philosophy has served him well. This is a new experience and he hopes to keep up with his leading lady on stage and off. It didn’t work for Burton and Taylor, for Crews and Kidman, or for Lewis and Martin! Let’s hope that the marriage world can handle this production of Goodbye Charlie! He also is the Associate Dean of Students at the University of Memphis.
Kate Armitage - Charlie Sorel
Katie has worked with every Playhouse 51 production, but this is her first time on stage. She loves volunteering with the Playhouse and would like to encourage each of you to consider volunteering a little of your time and talent. “It is so much fun!”
Melissa Wright - Rusty Mayerling
Melissa has been involved with Playhouse 51 from very early on. She was Ethel in Barefoot in the Park and directed Everybody Loves Opal., and performed the voice of Mary in It’s a Wonderful Life: Radio Version. She has thoroughly enjoyed the experience of working on something with such a great group and seeing it all come together. She especially looks forward to working with her family on this production. She is the Artistic Director for the group, was Assistant Director for The Rainmaker, and directed the first in the Opal series, Everybody Loves Opal.
Catherine Hammons - Franny Saltzman
After a brief absence from the stage, Catherine returns to the theater in her role as Franny. Catherine’s theater career includes several comedic roles, such as Super Maid in May the Farce Be With You and Lizzie Borden in Dr. Gorilla and Me. Catherine’s theater work also includes behind the scenes work as director and stage manager for numerous productions. Catherine would like to thank her cousin Kelly Yarwood for all her direction and comedic advice throughout her life.
Bill Roraback - Greg Morris
Bill is a retired Navy Submariner who first started performing in Greece and Germany in the early 1980’s. Married for 28 years with 2 children. After he retired from the Navy, he returned to the stage first as Uncle Teddy in Arsenic and Old Lace. He went on to perform in Ten Little Indians as Detective Blore, My Son is Crazy but Promising as Oysters Rockefeller, and to direct several one act plays that competed in the Georgia Theatre Conference Community Theatre division, winning that division in 2000 with No Fading Star, then competing with that play at the South East Theatre Conference.
Carl E. Walters - Irving
Carl E Walters has acted in several plays in and around Millington, including East End Playhouse’s production of Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Lucus Brickman), The Ruffin’s production of Harvey (Dr. Chumley), and Playhouse 51’s production of Bell, Book and Candle (Shepherd Henderson). Goodbye Charlie marks his return to Playhouse 51 and is his 3rd play with the theatre. Some may remember him as Harry Pepper, the telephone repairman from Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park.
Eddie Parker - Mr. Shriber
Eddie has been involved in Playhouse 51 since helping with set construction on Everybody Loves Opal and tried his hand on stage, coincidentally, as the sheriff in The Rainmaker. “I have enjoyed being involved with Playhouse 51 because it has allowed me to meet some wonderful and interesting people who I now consider my friends. I also have enjoyed seeing many people with many different personalities and interest come together to make a production the best it can be.
chriber, Franny, Irving, Greg, George (Eddie Parker, Catherine Hammons, Carl Walters, Bill Roraback, Danny Armitage)
Franny, Irving, George (Catherine Hammons, Carl Walters, Danny Armitage)
Rusty, George (Melissa Wright, Danny Armitage)
Charlie, George (Kate Armitage, Danny Armitage)
Irving, Franny (Carl Walters, Catherine Hammons)
Greg, Franny (Bill Roraback, Catherine Hammons)
Shriber, Greg (Eddie Parker, Bill Roraback)
Rusty, George (Melissa Wright, Danny Armitage)
