Tracy Jones Makes Its Debut: A New Comedy About Friendship, Connection And Chicken Wings

April 13, 2023

It’s Tracy Jones and Tracy Jones and Tracy Jones! In Island City Stage’s newest comedy production, Tracy Jones by Stephen Kaplan, the lonely eponymous character throws a party inviting every other woman with the same name to join her for chicken wings and beer! Part of National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere in three different cities, this touching story of individual connection in an increasingly complicated world hits the South Florida stage from Thursday, May 18th, 2023 – Sunday, June 18th, 2023.

“We're thrilled to showcase this hilarious new comedy. When I first read Tracy Jones, I instantly related to its four misfit characters all searching for true personal connections,” said Andy Rogow, Artistic Director of Island City Stage. “It’s an especially meaningful play in a world filled with zoom meetings and cocooning at home. In a bizarre moment of life imitating art, a recent New York Times article documented a party created in Brooklyn for all individuals named Ryan – and no one showed up! This is truly a play that will appeal to all audiences.”

Tracy Jones is having a major life crisis. Her job at the bank is taking her nowhere, her panic attacks are getting worse and having such a common name is giving her an identity crisis. With everything spiraling out of control around her, it’s time to find something she can take control of. That’s when it hits her; she’s going to throw a party to celebrate every woman named Tracy Jones. After an extensive marketing campaign that included tracking down others by the same name, posters and a Facebook event, the party is finally here. The Funtime Party Zone at the Jones Street Bar & Grill is all set up and Tracy is eagerly awaiting her guests.

Stephen Kaplan is an Award-Winning Playwright with productions off-Broadway and in regional theaters, nationally. Tracy Jones is a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere playing simultaneously at Williamston Theatre in Williamston, Michigan and CenterStage in Rochester, New York, in addition to Island City Stage in Wilton Manors, Florida. It was a Chameleon Theatre Winner and a finalist for B Street Theatre’s New Comedies Festival and for the ScreenCraft Stage Play Contest and the Trustus Playwrights Festival. It was one of two chosen for a developmental reading at Chameleon Theatre, Minnesota.

Directed by Rogow and Co-Produced by Raymond Griffis and Mark Tews, Tracy Jones stars returning Island City performers: Niki Fridh as the lead Tracy, Matthew Buffalo, Irene Adjan and Sara Grant.

Niki Fridh is a Six-Time Nominated and Two-Time Carbonell Award Winner and a Four-Time Recipient of the Silver Palm Award. Most recently, she was seen in August: Osage County and Almost, Maine (Palm Beach Dramaworks). Other memorable appearances include To Fall in Love, Most Wanted and The Revolutionists (Theatre Lab), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Trust (Zoetic Stage), Grounded and Vita & (Thinking Cap Theatre), White Rabbit Red Rabbit (Urbanite Theatre), The Book Club Play (Actors’ Playhouse), Summer Shorts 2014 (City Theatre) and Shorts Gone Wild 1, 2 and 3, also at Island City Stage.

Matthew Buffalo was last seen as Miss West Coast in Island City Stage’s opening season production of Pageant and in Buyer & Cellar. His credits include the national tours of Fosse and Spirit of the Dance, plus many regional theater roles including Anything Goes (The Wick Theatre).

Irene Adjan is a 12-Time Carbonell Award Nominee and Three-Time Winner. She will make her Island City Stage debut in Tracy Jones. Most recently Irene was seen in Footloose (Slow Burn Theatre Company) and in Milk & Honey (The Wick Theatre). Notable appearances include: Murder on the Orient Express, Finding Mona Lisa, Ragtime, The Full Monty, 1776, Annie, Joseph and Funny Girl (Actors’ Playhouse), Almost, Maine, House of Blue Leaves and Night of the Iguana (Palm Beach Dramaworks); The Impracticality of Modern Day Mastodons and The Glass Piano (Theatre Lab), Moscow, Assassins and Detroit (Zoetic Stage), Indecent, Casa Valentina, Adding Machine, In the Next Room and The Dead (GableStage); The Cake and many seasons of Summer Shorts and Winter Shorts (City Theatre).

Sara Grant’s recent South Florida credits include The Odd Couple, Female Version (Boca Stage), Cock (Empire Stage & ArtBuzz Theatrics), Fefu and Her Friends (Thinking Cap), Something Rotten (PPTOPA; Carbonell Nominated for Best Supporting Actress), Swing, Swing, Swing (Kevin Black Productions), Richard II, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival) and The Art Heist Experience (Right Angle Entertainment & Kravis Center). Grant is also the Managing Director of Sol Theatre, the home to Boca Stage and Sol Children’s Theatre.

Creating quality professional theatrical experiences focused on the LGBTQ+ Community for a universal audience, Island City Stage’s 11th South Florida Season has tackled thought-provoking productions that explore the world of beauty pageants, poignant longing, gender questions, loneliness and the ins and outs of friendship.

Tickets for Tracy Jones start at $40. Enjoy a Special Mimosa on Sunday, May 28th, 2023 for $55 that includes a Light Bites Pre-Reception and a Post-Show Talkback, sponsored by Home Instead. This production is also supported by FAB (Funding Arts Broward).

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.islandcitystage.org Or call: (954) 928-9800. Or email: md@islandcitystage.org. Follow Island City Stage on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/IslandCityStageFL and on Instagram at: @islandcitystage1.