Yippee ki-yay! Lab Theater's new season with 'Die Hard' musical and more
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie?
Debate if you want, but Lab Theater answers that question with a resounding “Yippee ki-yay!” And also a holiday-themed musical this December that pokes fun at “Die Hard” and other ‘80s action flicks.
That show — called “Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas!” — is part of Lab’s just announced 15th season in downtown Fort Myers.
That 2023-24 season — along with a three-show summer season — includes a stage adaptation of the Stephen King horror movie “Misery,” a spoof of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” the TikTok hit “Ride the Cyclone” and more.
Hurricane Ian recovery: Sanibel Island's ‘Ding’ Darling announces reopening of Wildlife Drive
Best March concerts in SW FL: Top shows to see in the Fort Myers, Naples area
Tickets go on sale April 1. Season passes are $120-$360. Single tickets are $35-$40 ($10-$15 for students). The theater also offers half-price preview nights and “Thrifty Thursday” discounts.
Here’s a closer look at the summer and 2023-24 seasons. All shows and dates are subject to change.
SUMMER SEASON
“Save Hamlet” (June 2-24, 2023)
Mark Harvey Levine’s world-premiere spoof of Shakespeare's most famous play. The joke-packed comedy sees Hamlet’s friends fighting evil kings, the narrative and even giant pool noodles. The play was a runner-up for Lab Theater’s 2022 Louise Wigglesworth Excellence in Playwriting Award.
“She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition” (July 13-16)
Lab theater students perform this comedy about an oh-so-average woman who finds a “Dungeons and Dragons” notebook that her dead sister left behind and soon embarks on an adventure of her own. The story involves '90s pop-culture references, broadswords, a slacker overlord, an elfin supermodel, a demon princess and a dragon waiting in the shadows.
“POTUS" (Aug. 4-20, 2023)
In this Florida Premiere, a four-letter word creates a PR crisis for the U.S. president during international nuclear talks. Seven savvy-but-exhausted women must risk everything to keep the POTUS out of hot water.
REGULAR SEASON
“Noises Off” (Sept. 8-Oct. 1, 2023)
The classic farce shows all the chaos, intrigue and zaniness happening onstage and behind the scenes while actors try to perform a stage comedy.
“Misery” (Oct. 20-Nov. 12, 2023)
The Southwest Florida premiere of the stage thriller based on Stephen King’s terrifying hit novel. A popular novelist crashes his car and gets rescued by superfan Annie, who holds him hostage after she reads the manuscript for his new novel —in which he kills off heroine Misery Chastain.
24 Hour Playwriting Project (Dec. 2)
In this popular annual event, playwrights spend the night at Lab Theater, where they’ll each create, cast and produce one 15-minute play in the next 24 hours. Then audiences and judges get to come and watch the results.
“Yippee Ki-Yay Merry Christmas!” (Dec. 8-23, 2023)
A musical parody of the classic Bruce Willis movie that many people consider to be a holiday classic. The show also skewers other ‘80s action movies. Expect action, explosions, jokes and even dance numbers.
“Stew” (Jan. 12-Feb. 3, 2024)
A fast-paced family dramedy about a mother, a daughter and grandchildren making a meal on an important Saturday morning. As the stew heats up, so does the unease and tension in the kitchen.
“Ride the Cyclone” (Feb. 23-March 23, 2024)
In this outlandish musical, a freak rollercoaster accident kills six teenaged members of a Canadian chamber choir. They awaken in a surreal, carnival-like purgatory where they must compete to win the chance to return to life. The 2008 musical has turned into a viral sensation, thanks largely to songs and videos posted on TikTok.
“Crocodile Fever” (April 12-May 5, 2023)
One theater critic described this bloody, dark comedy as "Tarantino for feminists." Meghan Tyler’s play gets its U.S. premiere at Lab Theater. The story involves a woman living a quiet life in 1989 Northern Ireland when her rebellious IRA sister shows up. Soon, the sisters are forced to confront their abusive dead father’s legacy.
— The Laboratory Theater of Florida is located at 1634 Woodford Ave., downtown Fort Myers. For tickets and more information, call 218-0481 or visit laboratorytheaterflorida.com.
Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Email him at crunnells@gannett.com or connect on Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), Twitter (@charlesrunnells) and Instagram (@crunnells1). You can also call at 239-335-0368.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Lab Theater's new season: 'Die Hard' Christmas musical, 'Misery,' etc.
