The New Year Presents New Productions From Good Company Players

With the New Year comes a pair of new productions from the talented folks at Good Company Players. Now’s a great time to incorporate more art into your life, and you can’t beat live theater.

Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater

Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater presents The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Revue. The musical plays Thursdays through Sundays starting January 12. The show about Will Rogers, America’s beloved humorist, runs through March 12.

Back in 1991, the Broadway version of this production won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It uses the Ziegfeld Follies, which Rogers often headlined, to help tell the story of Rogers’ life as an actor, newspaper columnist, and social commentator.

Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater is located on Olive and Wishon in Fresno’s Historic Tower District. Thursday and Sunday night shows offer a dinner buffet. The cost for the meal and show is $57. That’s also the price for Sunday matinees, which include a brunch buffet. On Friday and Saturday nights, tickets for a sit-down dinner and show are $60.

Not hungry? Just see the show for $32. For more ticket information, visit GCPlayers.com or call the box office at 559-266-9494.

Portrait of Will Rogers by David Pierce *(courtesy of Good Company Players Facebook)*

In addition to The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Revue, during most shows the audience will also enjoy a pre-show performance by The Junior Company. The group of young performers, ages 8 to 16, entertains the crowd with their own mini revue.

The Junior Company *(courtesy of GCPlayers.com)*

2^nd Space Theatre

The second new production by Good Company Players is Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit.

The play is on stage through February 26 at 2^nd Space Theatre, a smaller and more intimate theater located on Olive between Wishon and Van Ness, also in the Tower District.

Blithe Spirit tells the story of a novelist who, in search of a few laughs and new material, hires a medium. He winds up being haunted by his tempestuous first wife!

Performances take place Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission and $17 for students, seniors, and current and former members of the military. Ticket information can also be found at GCPlayers.com or by calling 559-266-0660.

Explore The Tower

A trip to the theater is perfect for a date or special celebration. While you’re in the Tower District seeing a show, take the opportunity to visit one of the locally owned restaurants or bars in the area.

Next door to 2^nd Space Theatre is Cuca’s Restaurant, which is famous for its Chili Colorado.

If you’re craving Cantonese food, consider Golden Restaurant, which is just down the street on Fulton, and has been a Fresno staple for decades.

For a more upscale experience, Oggi Trattorìa Italiano, and its extensive wine menu, is on Van Ness and Olive.