Spoof of epic proportions

In Gone With the Breeze, young actors twist a tale about the casting of a Southern classic.

By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN, Times staff writer
Published August 3, 2007

Bobby Brandt, 14, is Huckleberry Jones, a powerful film producer in Gone With the Breeze. He's been acting for six years.
	[David Degner | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [David Degner | Times] Noah Pitt, 8, from left, is agent Freddy Dean; Heather Enix, 10, is Roxanne; and Jackie Snyder, 16, portrays Peggy Tempest.

People who were around in the late 1930s - and film buffs of all ages - will remember the frenzy that surrounded the casting of the lead character, Scarlett O'Hara, in the movie Gone With the Wind.

Even today, documentaries showing clips of Scarlett hopefuls make for fascinating fare on television.

So most people will understand the humor of Gone With the Breeze, the musical spoof of that zany time being presented at 7 tonight at Center Stage Theatre & Dance Academy in Port Richey.

The musical is the culmination of the studio's summer camp.

"We wanted our students to have a complete experience of putting together a real musical," said Chelle St. Pierre, who directed and choreographed the show. "You can't get any more hands-on than this."

The musical is set in the mythical Hollywood Lone Pine Films studio, where film producers Ruth Wintersole (Corinne Doig) and Huckleberry Jones (Bobby Brandt) are helping to cast writer Lucy Belle Bankhead's (Carissa Midkiff) Southern epic, Gone With the Breeze.

A bevy of beauties have descended on the studio, hoping for a shot at the lead role of the saucy Jezebel O'Toole.

The producers know they'll eventually cast their most powerful star, the temperamental Peggy Tempest (Jackie Snyder), but to keep her in line and to pump up publicity, they carry out a fake casting call for an "unknown" to play the role.

Complications arise when the pretty, young Vicki Rawlins (Sammi Nystrom) shows up, and the book's author decides that Vicki would be a much better Jezebel than Peggy would. To make matters worse, the producers suddenly realize that they haven't done all the legal work to obtain rights to make a movie of the book, which means Ms. Bankhead has them over a barrel.

All this takes place in the confusion of studio tours led by tour guide/aspiring actor Rip Page (Jonathan Richters), workers building sets and making costumes, and press agents trying to get their clients together with the bevy of reporters wanting interviews with the stars.

The songs include the wishful I Could Play That Part, Ya Gotta Hand It to Youth, Magnolia and Midnight, as well as the smirky Fax Me a Kiss and Give a Lawyer a Hug.

"This is a complete production," Ms. St. Pierre said. Ken Craypo built the sets; Robin Enix did the costumes and props.

The two-act show is about 90 minutes long, including an intermission, and it is suitable for all ages.

'Gone With the Breeze'

Where: Center Stage Theatre & Dance Academy, 5201 U.S. 19, New Port Richey (Southgate Shopping Center).

When: 7 p.m. today.

Tickets: $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call (727) 815-0100.

[Last modified August 2, 2007, 20:51:14]