Charlotte Players will stage Jack of Diamonds at Langdon Playhouse

Charlotte Players is going all in with Jack of Diamonds, a comedy opening on Nov. 7 for eight performances and running through Nov. 20 at the Langdon Playhouse, 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte.
The silliness concerns Jack, a former jeweler who made his living buying and selling diamonds via late-night TV ads. He lives in a rather luxurious, privately owned retirement home along with his fellow residents, including the visually challenged techno-wizard Rose, the artistically gifted but forgetful Flora and the narcoleptic beauty Blanche.
Unbeknownst to the four of them, the man to whom they’ve entrusted their life savings – a smooth-talking financial advisor named Barney Effward – has been arrested for bilking his clients out of their savings through a Ponzi scheme. Faced with financial ruin, the four suddenly find themselves confronting the author of their miserable fate when Effward is unexpectedly delivered among them. along with several million dollars in diamonds.
Pandemonium ensues as the four retirees try to find a way to exact their revenge, recoup their losses, and keep the authorities from discovering their plans.
Jenni Elliott is directing the comedy, written by Marcia Kash and Douglas E. Hughes. The authors have collaborated on five plays, the first of which, Who’s Under Where?, has been translated into six languages.
This is Jenni’s second directorial effort with the Charlotte Players, having helmed last season’s hit Jack Benny’s Not 39 Anymore. An actor and director for years in her native Australia, she has maintained both roles with the Charlotte Players and Lemon Bay Playhouse since arriving in Florida from Melbourne just six years ago.
“I believe theater should be first and foremost entertainment, and I don’t think audiences will be disappointed with Jack of Diamonds,” she said.
The first of the Langdon Playhouse’s special events for the current season arrives on Wednesday, Nov. 20, when the popular Peace River Trio hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. for a one-night-only show. John Welsh, Marsha Carpenter and Dave Heveron present songs by the great folk artists of our generation, including John Denver, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Kingston Trio, Judy Collins and many more. Their music, made popular in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, is what Donny and Marie called “a little bit country and a little bit rock-n-roll.”
Langdon artist in residence Bill Gladwell returns for two 7:30 p.m. shows in November, the first on Thursday, Nov. 21, and the second on Saturday, Nov. 30. No two of Bill’s shows are alike, as he seemingly pulls thoughts directly from audience members’ minds, predicting what they’ll say before it comes out of their mouths
Bill’s “Mind Games” show was rated number one on Hilton Head Island and in Gatlinburg, Tenn., where he went up against more than 60 other shows. He has performed for audiences as small as 10 people and as large as 45,000. Trip Advisor calls his performance “a mind-blowing show with lots of big laughs.”
Langdon Playhouse tickets are $22 for adults and $11 for students. A complete schedule is available at the Charlotte Players website a www.charlotteplayers.org. You can buy your tickets there or by calling 941-255-1022 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.