NATIVE GARDENS by Karen Zacarias At The Ivoryton Playhouse

Ivoryton – NATIVE GARDENS by Karen Zacarias opened at the Ivoryton Playhouse yesterday and audiences are singing its praises. In between the laughs are so many thought provoking moments, cringe making statements and moments of recognition. Let’s face it, for better or worse, we all have neighbors and there is something in this hilarious comedy for everyone to relate to.
This new comedy of “good intentions and bad manners,” has played coast-to-coast with unparalleled success. NATIVE GARDENS was originally planned, scheduled, and even cast, for Ivoryton’s 2020 season, but had to be postponed due to the pandemic. The Playhouse is thrilled to finally bring this uproarious play to life in Ivoryton.

NATIVE GARDENS is a story of two sets of feuding neighbors, Virginia and Frank vs. Pablo and Tania. Pablo, a rising attorney, and doctoral candidate Tania, his very pregnant wife, have just purchased a home next to Frank and Virginia, a well-established D.C. couple with a prize-worthy English garden. But an impending barbeque for Pablo’s colleagues and a delicate disagreement over a long-standing fence line soon spirals into an all-out border dispute. The couples find themselves literarily building fences while breaking down barriers at the same time. NATIVE GARDENS is an entertaining look at what it takes to be good neighbors in America. Spoiler alert: no one comes out smelling like a rose!

The NATIVE GARDENS cast has been waiting in the wings for two years and includes Joseph Dellger* as Frank, Stacia Fernandez* as Virginia, Blanca Grande* as Tania, and Jose Maria Aguilar* as Pablo. The play is directed by Brian J. Feehan and has sets designed by Daniel Nischan, lights and sound by Alan Piotrowicz, and costumes by Elizabeth Saylor.

NATIVE GARDENS opens at the Ivoryton Playhouse on Thursday, May 19 and runs through Sunday, June 12, 2022. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm; evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm. There will be one Thursday matinee on May 19 at 2:00 pm and one Saturday matinee on May 21 at 2:00 pm.

This season, the Playhouse is back to full capacity for the first time in two years, yet the safety of our audience remains our primary concern. Masks are not required, though recommended, and provide proof of vaccination or a negative covid test result is necessary for admittance. Knowing all audience members are covid-free will provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all.
Tickets are $55 for adults, $50 for seniors, and $25 for students. Tickets are available online at ivorytonplayhouse.org or by calling the box office at 860.767.7318. (For information on group rates, please call the box office.) For more information on the entire 2022 season, visit ivorytonplayhouse.org. The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.