'Meet the American Girls' Production Hits the Stage in Lutz

Lutz theater fans are in for a treat: The New Tampa Players will bring their production on Meet the American Girls to The Acting Studio in April.

Meet the American Girls will take the audience through 3 historical eras, director Lydia Massias said.

• "Tea for Felicity" follows Felicity Merriman, a spunky colonial girl growing up as America is on the brink of the Revolutionary War. She's learning to be a proper gentlewoman who can sew a sampler and serve tea. Felicity's father is among the many merchants protesting the King's tax on tea and her new friend, Eizabeth's family is loyal to King George. Felicity learns people can have different beliefs and still be friends.    

•  "Actions Speak Louder than Words" is set at the turn of the 20th century, in New Beford, New York, just north of New York City. Samantha Parkington is an orphan being raised by her wealthy grandmother. She befriends Nellie, a young girl who must support her family. Nellie shows Samantha what life is like for poor children who work as servants and in factories. Samantha discovers that a person's worth isn't measured by wealth.

• "War on the Homefront" is set in 1944 during WWII in the town of Jefferson, Illinois. For Molly McIntire, life seems full of change. She and her family are learning to cope with the changes the war has brought to their close-knit family. Her father is far away caring for wounded soldiers. Her mother is busy working for the Red Cross. And everyone in America is so serious and practical that glamorous Halloween costumes are hard to get. Molly’s special hula skirt is a huge success—until Ricky, her pesty big brother, plays a mean trick. Molly and her friends, Linda and Susan, are determined to get back at him. One mean trick leads to another until the fighting goes too far.      

"The show is aimed at American Girls fans and would be acceptable for all ages," Massias said. "It is definitely a family friendly show. The cast includes young girls and boys, teenagers and adults."

In the past, The Acting Studio, which features a "charming black box studio," has only used its theater to showcase the talents of its own students, Massias said. 

"We are the first outside group to perform there and this introduces both them and us to an entirely new group of people," she said.

Performances will be held Saturdays, April 6 and April 13, at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sundays, April 7 and April 14, at 1 and 5 p.m.

Tickets are $12 each, with discounts available to groups of 10 or more. The Acting Studio is located at 122 Flagship Drive in Lutz. Visit the NTP website to purchase.

See Also:

• Learn more about the New Tampa Players