PORT LUDLOW — It’s Paris in 1954, and world-renowned painter Paul Sorodin is dead. Mon dieu!
Noel Coward’s satirical play “Nude with Violin” will be the Ludlow Village Players’ 10th anniversary celebration, with performances starting Thursday at The Bay Club.
Tickets are $17 for shows scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday along with 2 p.m. Sunday at the Bay Club, 120 Spinnaker Place. Tickets are on sale at www.browntickets.com and at The Bay Club.
A satire about manners
The play is a satire about the art world’s manners, pretentions, hypocrisies and misplaced values.
For those close to character Sorodin, his death is a tragedy; for the world, a catastrophe. The art world is stunned, as his art is brilliant. His relatives and friends converge in his luxurious studio. Are they there to mourn or to celebrate, or are they just hoping to get a share of his fortune?
Main characters
Gathered are Sorodin’s estranged wife and adult children, his art dealer/agent, an American journalist, an ex-showgirl, an aristocratic Russian princess and his French maid, among others.
At the center of the action is the lead character, the one to whom all others are drawn, Sorodin’s valet and loyal friend, Sebastien, who uses wit, irony and sarcasm to soothe others.
The play is directed by Vallery Durling.
Other cast members
Sebastien is played by Mike Derrenberger; Marie-Celeste by Shirley Davies-Owens; Clinton Preminger Jr. by Paul Moreau; Jacob Friedland by Jim Gormly; Isobel Sorodin by Beth Ely; Jane by Janet Christensen; Colin by Gary Baird; Pamela by Nicole Frenzl; Anya by Becky Eastgard; Cherry-May by Ally Roberts; Fabrice by Jon Plueard; Obadiah by Don Clark; George by Doug Hubbard; and Stotesbury by Olivia Schmitt.
More information is available online at ludlowvillageplayers.org or by emailing Jane at jenpl@olypen.com or Val at rkd@olypen.com.