The Canyon Theatre Guild is starting the New Year off with a new comedy, The Dixie Swim Club, which is the hilariously funny story of five Southern women whose friendships began on their college swim team. After graduation, these ladies set aside a long weekend every August to meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to recharge, to catch up, to laugh, and to meddle in each other’s lives.
As their lives unfold and the years pass, these women increasingly rely on one another, through advice and raucous repartee, to get through the challenges (men, sex, marriage, parenting, divorce, aging) that life flings at them. When fate throws a wrench into the life of one of these friends, they prove the enduring power of “teamwork,” as they rally ‘round their own with the strength and love that takes this comedy in a poignant and surprising direction.
Under the direction of TimBen Boydston, The Dixie Swim Club has performances at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays January 31, February 1, 7, 14, 15, 21, 22, and March 1. Sunday performances are at 2 p.m. on February 9 and 23, and at 6 p.m. on February 16.
In addition to The Dixie Swim Club, the CTG will be presenting J.R.R. Tolkien’s popular tale of The Hobbit. It is unusual for a modern work to become a classic so quickly, but Tolkien’s “ring” stories, which began with The Hobbit, are clearly in this very special category. The “ring” stories stir the imagination and intellect of everyone they touch. Bilbo Baggins, one of the most conservative of all Hobbits, is asked to leave his large, roomy and very dry home in the ground in order to set off in an attempt to recover an important treasure. It’s the last thing that any sensitive Hobbit would want to do, but great benefit eventually results—not only for Bilbo but for all of the Hobbits who inhabit Middle Earth—and the hearts of those children and adults who continue to enjoy this kind of magic.
The Hobbit will have performances at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, February 1, 2, 8, 15, 16, 22, and March 1. There will be a 6 p.m. show on Sunday, February 9 and 23, and one Friday performance at 8 p.m. on February 22.
For reservations to see either (or both) of these outstanding productions, call the box office at 661-799-2702. Tickets $12 to $15 for Juniors/Seniors and $15 to $17 for Adults. The Canyon Theatre Guild is located at 24242 Main Street, in Old Town Newhall.