UpStage Artists Brings Kong, The Eighth Wonder of the World, to the Stage This October!

The Cast of Kong’s Night Out sitting down to read the script together before beginning the rehearsal of this phenomenally funny play!

Most of us know the story—even if we’ve never seen the movie. A group of filmmakers set sail for a mysterious island, where they discover a prehistoric world of dinosaurs and natives who worship a colossal figure known only as Kong. Kong, of course, turns out to be a 40-foot-tall gorilla who takes a shine to Ann, the actress traveling with the crew. After kidnapping her, Kong is captured himself and hauled back to New York, where he escapes, seizes Ann once more, and climbs the Empire State Building—only to meet his tragic end.

But what about the hotel room right next to Ann’s on that fateful night in Manhattan?

That’s where Kong’s Night Out begins—and UpStage Artists is bringing this hilarious backstage parody to life this October. The play imagines what was happening just a few doors down while Kong was sweeping Ann off her feet—literally. Because every great story has a backstory.

At the center is Myron Siegel, a second-rate Broadway producer who desperately wants to be first-rate. Unfortunately, he’s spent his career being thwarted by his archrival, a famous showman known for spectacles about terrifying jungle beasts. Their rivalry runs deep—their fathers feuded before them—and Myron is determined this time will be different.

As the play opens, Myron learns that his rival has booked a theater directly across the street from his own. Nobody knows what the mystery production will be, but everyone agrees—it’s BIG. Myron rallies his eccentric entourage—his sharp-tongued mother, a tough-talking gangster, his nervous Hungarian investor, and his starry-eyed niece fresh off the bus from Buffalo—to uncover the secret and save his show.

The cast is a mix of fresh faces and veteran UpStage performers:

·         Neil Swanson-Chrisman as Myron Siegel

·         Lisa Troshinsky as Sally Charmaine

·         Laila Anderson as Daisy

·         Cam Haffenden as Little Willie

·         Elisabeth Dorman as Bertille Siegel

·         John Cholod as Sig Higginbottom

·         Sophie Ellison as Ann Darrow

·         Louis Zammichieli as Carl Dennam

·         Ed Brennan as Jack Driskel

Kong’s Night Out is directed by Beltsville News’s own Rick Bergmann.

Show Details:

• Tickets: $10 at www.upstageartists.com

• Dates: October 11, 12, 17 & 18 at 7:30 PM; October 13 & 19 at 2:00 PM

• Venue: Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 11416 Cedar Lane, Beltsville, MD 20705

Get ready for a wildly funny night at the theater—one you won’t soon forget! (Rated PG-13 for language and adult themes; not recommended for young children.)