Theater Review: "The Savannah Sipping Society" at CTAW

Review by Nancy Sasso Janis

The Community Theatre at Woodbury has chosen a delightful Jones Hope Wooden comedy with which to open their season at the Old Town Hall. Although I had never heard the title “The Savannah Sipping Society,” its pedigree of Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, collectively known as Jones Hope Wooden, almost guarantees plenty of laughs.

Maureen Denver, who has directed and acted in venues in many states across the country, directs the seasoned female actors as they portray lonely ladies who live in and around Savannah. Following last season’s “Cry It Out," which focuses on the challenges of new motherhood, the director hopes that patrons will identify with the spirit of the well-drawn, middle-aged characters that face their own challenges and changes in their lives.

The play’s title references how the women pass the time over their six months of happy hour meetings on a Southern veranda. Over the course of six months, these middle-aged women successfully bond and find the confidence to jumpstart their new lives.

Denver acknowledges that the play is a comedy, but “the issues are real. Divorce, death, caretaking, health changes, loss of a job are all addressed with a humor and resilience that we see friends and family exhibit daily.” The director has done a great job with helping the actors to almost always maintain the usual rhythm of the comedies written by this team.

Peggy Anson opens the performance with a monologue in the role of Randa Covington. a perfectionist and workaholic who struggles to cope with a surprise derailment of her career. Anson, a member of the CTAW Board of Directors, was a wonderful Sister Mary Hubert in “Nunsense” last year and she once again shows off her comedic timing.

Missy Cowan, often seen at Phoenix Stage Company, returns to the CTAW stage to play Dot Haigler, a recent widow whose vision is failing. Cowan wisely advises patrons to use the restroom before the show begins “‘cause you’re gonna laugh pretty hard.”

Sabrina “Nina” Wilson returns to CTAW and takes on the role of Marlafaye Mosley. This good old Texas gal has arrived in Savannah with a strong desire to enact revenge on her ex husband and establish a new life. Wilson recently appeared at the Sherman Playhouse in “Four Old Broads.”

Cathy Annulli shines as the spunky Jinx Jenkins, a life coach in training who is also new in town. Annullil appears in her sixth show with CTAW. Her credits also include “Curious Incident” at the Warner Theatre and “A Wrinkle in Time” with Goshen Players.

May Bernhard has a brief cameo in the role of Randa’s grandmother. The seasoned actress who has been acting since junior high school recently performed the title role of “Sylvia” at Pomperaug Woods.

Lesa Peters worked as the costume assistant for the great, often splashy outfits worn by the five women.

Jack Kearney serves as assistant director and Dan Denver works as the show’s producer. Bill Geddes was both the lighting and sound designer and both worked relatively well. Dennis Walsh and Tom Wood are the tech operators. Sarah Robards was in charge of the music arrangement. The set design/construction by Paul Murray presents as a present-day, second-story veranda on Randa’s Savannah home, only changing for the first and last of the eight scenes.

This sweet comedy runs through November 10 at the Old Town Hall in Woodbury. Tickets are available at https://cur8.com/22578/project...

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