The Dixie Swim Club
About the Play
Five Southern women, whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team, set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. Free from husbands, kids, and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage, the “Sweet Delilah” on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to catch up, laugh, and meddle in each other’s lives. The Dixie Swim Club focuses on four of those weekends and spans a period of thirty-three years. Sheree, the spunky team captain, desperately tries to maintain her organized and “perfect” life, and continues to be the group’s leader. Dinah, the wisecracking overachiever, is a career dynamo. But her victories in the courtroom are in stark contrast to the frustrations of her personal life. Lexie, pampered and outspoken, is determined to hold on to her looks and youth as long as possible. She enjoys being married—over and over and over again. The self-deprecating and acerbic Vernadette, acutely aware of the dark cloud that hovers over her life, has decided to just give in and embrace the chaos. And sweet, eager-to-please Jeri Neal experiences a late entry into motherhood that takes them all by surprise. 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. And when fate throws a wrench into one of their lives in the second act, these friends, proving the enduring power of “teamwork” rally ’round their own with the strength and love that takes this comedy in a poignant and surprising direction. The Dixie Swim Club is the story of these five unforgettable women—a hilarious and touching comedy about friendships that last forever.
The Dixie Swim Club is produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
“Life’s a Beach” at least, in tonight’s production, it would appear so. Though this beach is not a place of trial and hardship—rather an oasis, an escape, a place to lick one’s wounds. Wounds, real or imagined, in the companionship of like-minded souls. In today’s rat race where we find ourselves running in circles, we have to remember to live our lives; rather than have our lives live us. So, what could be better than to shut down and reboot; to take the time to see ourselves through the prism of friendly eyes. On behalf of the cast and crew, I would like to welcome you to this meeting of The Dixie Swim Club. Time to dive in y’all. – Dale Kelly
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Welcome to North Vancouver Community Players’ production of The Dixie Swim Club. This play is the final show of the 2018-2019 season. Don’t forget to pick up a brochure in the lobby for the 2019-2020 season. Sign up for Season Tickets! It promises to be an exciting year of theatre! We hope that you will leave Hendry Hall tonight having enjoyed a wonderful evening of live entertainment. If you would like to join into the fun on and off stage, please check out our website North Van Community Players under the section Volunteer. We would love to have you aboard! – Fran Heaney
| Character | Played by |
| Sheree Hollinger | Carol L. Mann |
| Lexie Richards | Colleen Byberg |
| Dinah Grayson | Jennifer Morabito |
| Vernadette Simms | Julie Kehler |
| Jeri Neal McFeeley | Colleen Bignell |
| Director | Dale Kelly |
| Production Manager | Rosemary Hundal |
| Author | Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten |
| Stage Manager | James Mainguy |
| Set Designer | Glynnis Brassil |
| Set Construction | Marty Smith, and Bob Martin |
| Set Decorators / Painters | Glynnis Brassil, Robin Hilliard, Sharon Lisette, Fran Crossley, and Linda Sharp |
| Properties | Shelley Smith, Ray Boucher, Val Mason, and Fran Crossley |
| Lighting Designer | Bill Howorth |
| Sound Designers | Colleen Bignell, and Anne Marsh |
| Lighting and Sound Operator | Cara Jacobsen, Sandy Branning, and Liz Whittaker |
| Costumes | Mitchell Mackay (consultant), Karin Bews, and Sharon Alexander |
| Make-Up | Leslie Whittaker |
| Graphic Artist | Linda Sharp |
| Publicity and Program | Anne Marsh, and Pam Kearns |
| Front-of-House Coordinator | Sandy Branning |
| Opening Night Catering/Decoration | Glynnis Brassil, Shelley Smith, Ray Boucher, and Rosemary Hundal |
| Box Office | Sue Worrow |
| Photographer | Damon Calderwood |
| Videographer | Paul Paterson |
| Original Performance Dates | May 24 to June 8, 2019 |
| Venue | The Theatre at Hendry Hall, North Vancouver, BC |
| Production Length | 1 hour and 40 minutes |
| Production Style | Comedy |
| Special Thanks To | Wendy McCormick, Rona, North Shore News, Kathleen Denkewalter, and Melinda Hair |
| Dale Kelly | Director – The Dixie Swim Club marks Dale’s 95th turn in the director’s chair. A dedicated thespian, his past productions with NVCP were Enchanted April and Last Dance. Other directing highlights: Vagabond Players’ For Tainted Justice, The Transylvania Clockworks, The Lady’s Not for Burning and White Rock’s I Hate Hamlet. His fondest moment was winning Best Production at Theatre BC’s provincial Drama Festival for Stage 43’s Ravenscroft in 2010. |
| Colleen Bignell | Jeri Neal McFeeley – After what would seem waaaaaaay too many years in the local theatre scene, there really are too many great roles and plays to remember. Highlights are Agnes in Agnes of God, Alma in Summer and Smoke, Stage 43’s Mama Won’t Fly, and, of course, Lotty Wilton in Enchanted April for NVCP. When not on stage or in the booth, you can find Colleen spinning galaxies in the Star Theatre at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. |
| Colleen Byberg | Lexie Richards – The Dixie Swim Club is Colleen’s second production with NVCP, having appeared last year as Kate in Sylvia. Colleen has been immersed in theatre for 17 years and has a Theatre BC “Best Actress” award for Sarah in Late Entry. She recently directed her first show, Hidden in This Picture, for the Theatre BC North Shore Zone Festival and is looking forward to representing the North Shore community at the annual provincial theatre festival “Mainstage” in July. Thank you to our director Dale and to our cast and crew for their talents, laughter and love in bringing the show together. Love, kisses and hugs to John – always. |
| Julie Kehler | Vernadette Simms – With a degree in music, specializing in medieval chant, Julie continues to be surprised at how infrequently she is asked to draw upon her expertise in 14th Century counterpoint. That aside, having performed to international critical acclaim (or maybe it was just critical?) in venues as disparate as the freezing stage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada and the echoing sanctuary of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, she is delighted to have been so warmly welcomed into the unique, creative theatre community of Hendry Hall. Merde! |
| Carol L. Mann | Sheree Hollinger – Carol is thrilled to be working with such a stellar cast and crew. This is Carol’s first performance with the North Vancouver Community Players. Some recent favourite credits include playing Chris in The Calendar Girls (Vagabond Players) , Mrs. John Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility (Metro Theatre) and co-directing and co-producing The Laramie Project, Cabaret and Much Ado About Nothing at Lord Byng Secondary School. To Carol this play is about how we choose to age and what we hold dear, so she wants to thank her husband, family and her real life “Dixie Swim Club girls”, friends who have been with her through it all. Enjoy y’all! |
| Jennifer Morabito | Dinah Grayson – Jennifer was last seen at Hendry Hall as creepy Miriam in Snake in The Grass. She is happy to be sharing the stage this time round with a swell group of gals in The Dixie Swim Club. Previous roles include: Sultana in Aladdin (NVCP), Lucy in An Inconvenient Fish (Shadbolt Theatre), Nan/Lina in Three Days of Rain (NVCP), and Violet in Blithe Spirit (First Impressions Theatre). Recent directing credits include; Ten Tips For A Collapsed Uterus (Two Gals Theatre Co.), Roadside Vigil and The Kitchen Witches (NVCP), A Woman of No Importance (Two Gals Theatre Co.) and The Dresser (Presentation House Theatre). |