Little old ladies turned spies and an intrepid FBI agent tangle with Russian money launderers who’d rather be doing musical theater in this zany new comedy.
The Floridians is the latest production from TNW Ensemble Theater, premiering Thursday, April 21, and running for a total of 10 performances at the Governor’s Mansion Inn, 130 East Gilman Street in Madison.
A send-up of cloak-and-dagger exploits, retirement living, and trying to keep it together during a pandemic, this show celebrates the quirky and good-hearted, even in difficult times.
In the show, the Governor’s Mansion Inn becomes various locations in Sunny Isles Beach, an actual community in North Miami Beach, Florida, often referred to as Little Moscow, due to the many Russians buying high-priced property there.
Russian money launderers Boris and Natasha hope their undercover operation as travel agents will help them work off their debt to sinister higher-ups, while they dream of working in musical theater. Retirees Florence and Sadie are frustrated and bored in the pandemic. They get suspicious of the inexplicably busy travel agents and decide to investigate, but get caught by Louise, an FBI agent tracking the dirty money flowing through Florida. Throw in Florence’s son, a young man at a crossroads, and Rhumba Rudy, whose advice is surprisingly with it, even if his jokes aren’t, and the stage is set for capers and comedy.
Written by Danielle Dresden and directed by Francisco Torres, The Floridians features Krystal and Andrew Lonsdale, Megan Mori, Joshua Paffel, Nelson Zane Eisman, Donna Peckett, and Dresden. Shane Heim is stage manager.