34 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • FEBRUARY 3, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
buzz
Queens Theatre to present ‘Golden Girls’ puppet parody stage show
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Aft er transitioning to online programming
for its audience amid the COVID-
19 pandemic, Queens Th eatre is bringing
a “Golden Girls” puppet parody show to
the borough as the venue’s fi rst in-person
show of 2022.
“Th at Golden Girls Show!” tour will
be presented on Sunday, Feb. 20, at 3
p.m. and 7 p.m. According to Taryn
Sacramone, executive director of Queens
Th eatre, they’re looking forward to reconnecting
with everyone this year, beginning
with the “Golden Girls” show.
“Th is is a show that interested us before
the pandemic. It feels even more appropriate
now because we are looking to
bring the community together for a really
joyful experience. We want people to
have fun, to laugh and connect over their
shared fandom of ‘Th e Golden Girls,’”
Sacramone said.
“Th e Golden Girls” sitcom aired for
seven seasons from 1985 to 1992 with
an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur as
Dorothy Zbornak, Betty White as Rose
Nylund, Rue McClanahan as Blanche
Devereaux and Estelle Getty as Sophia
Petrillo, Dorothy’s 80-year-old widowed
mother.
Th e brand-new show at Queens Th eatre
parodies classic “Golden Girls” moments
with puppets portraying the four women
— from Sophia’s get-rich-quick schemes
to Rose’s tales from St. Olaf, Blanche’s
insatiable hunt for men and the fountain
of youth, and Dorothy’s daily struggle to
make sense of her life.
According to Queens Th eatre, the show
is also a way to celebrate White, who
appeared on the show for seven years in
177 episodes and died at the age of 99 in
December 2021.
“While we are extremely saddened by
Betty White’s passing, we are so thankful
to have the opportunity to bring her
fans together to celebrate Betty’s incredible
career and one of her most iconic
roles with this puppet parody show. What
better way to honor Betty White than to
laugh together?” Sacramone said.
Th e show’s cast includes Miranda
Cooper as Sophia, Dylan Glick as Dorothy,
Lu Zielinkski as Blanche and Samantha
Lee Mason as Rose.
For Mason, who is a New York-based
musical theater performer and puppeteer,
it’s an honor to portray White’s comedic
character as Rose onstage.
“I love playing Rose because I like her
sense of earnest optimism. She’s really
sweet and she has love for her friends, how
she grew up, and she has all of these crazy
funny stories that I get to tell,” Mason said.
Although she didn’t know White personally,
Mason says it felt very personal
when White died while working on emulating
her character as Rose.
“I felt like I knew her and that’s something
universal; everyone knows Betty
White. I really want to continue her legacy
in a respectful way, and I want what
I’m doing to be a love letter to her,” Mason
said.
Mason says she hopes people will come
to the show to not only share in laughter
and joy but to also celebrate the incredible
life of White.
“Our show is told in three episodes of
‘Th e Golden Girls.’ It’s almost as though
the audience will be participating in
what would have been a live taping of
the show back in the ’80s,” Mason said.
“We just hope we leave people laughing
and smiling and having a great time in
the theater because we all need an escape
right now.”
Tickets start at $20 for seating in the
rear and side sections. Seating in the center
section is $35. Students and seniors
receive a 10 percent discount. Th is production
is not recommended for children
and is suggested for ages 13 and up. For
more information and to purchase tickets,
visit queenstheatre.org.
In compliance with New York City’s vaccine
mandate for indoor activities, Queens
Th eatre requires confi rmation of vaccination
against COVID-19 of all eligible
(5 years of age and over) staff , performers,
patrons and audience members, with
a completed course of a vaccine considered
eff ective by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and/or the World
Health Organization. Learn more about
Queens Th eatre’s COVID safety protocols
at queenstheatre.org/covid-protocol.
Kid Cudi, Halsey and J. Cole to headline Governors Ball at Citi Field
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
can show their individual support for the
Channel Tres, Samia, Blu DeTiger, Aly
edavenport@schnepsmedia.com
victims as well by donating to the relief
& AJ, Paris Texas, Julia Wolf, Between
@QNS
eff ort via the Bronx Fire Relief Fund.
Friends, Ultra Q, Plastic Picnic
Tickets for three-day and one-day
Mark your calendars — Governors Ball
general admission and VIP tickets will
Saturday, June 11
is back to kick off the summer in New
be available for purchase at Govball.
Halsey, Flume, Roddy Ricch,
York City.
com on Jan. 27 at 12 p.m. ET. Payment
Joji, Still Woozy, ASHNIKKO, YG,
Th e three-day festival is open to all
plans are available. Check out the
Chelsea Cutler, Tove Lo, Denzel
ages and will take place Friday, June 10,
lineup below:
Curry, Diesel (Shaquille O’Neal),
through Sunday, June 12, at Citi Field in
Gus Dapperton, Benee, Peach Tree
Queens. Th e festival will take place rain
Friday, June 10
Rascals, Th e Teskey Brothers,
or shine and will run from 11:45 a.m. to
Kid Cudi, Migos, Jack Harlow, Louis
Valley, Almost
10 p.m. each day.
Th e Child, Black Pumas, Skepta, Quinn
Governors Ball has offi cially announced
XCII, Madeon, JPEGMAFIA,
the lineup of 60+ for this year’s festival,
beabadoobee, Coi Leray
which will be headlined by Kid Cudi on
June 10, Halsey on June 11 and J. Cole on
June 12, all of whom have strong ties to
New York City. Performers for this year’s
festival include Flume, Playboi Carti,
Roddy Ricch, Glass Animals, Migos, Jack
Harlow, Kaytranada, Joji, Louis Th e Child,
Clairo, Jazmine Sullivan, Still Woozy, 100
Gecs, Japanese Breakfast, Becky G, Black
Pumas and many more.
Th is year, Governors Ball Music Festival
promoters Founders Entertainment will
make a $25,000 donation to the New
York City Mayor’s Fund’s relief eff orts
for the victims of the Bronx apartment
building fi re.
Th e greater Governors Ball community
Monday, Dehd, OCTAVIO the Dweeb,
Millington
Sunday, June 12
J. Cole, Playboi Carti, Glass
Animals, Kaytranada, Clairo,
Becky G, Jazmine Sullivan,
100 gecs, Japanese Breakfast,
J.I.D, COIN, Soccer Mommy,
Surf Curse, DUCKWRTH,
Del Water Gap, Jax, Ken
Car$on, De’Wayne,
The Brummies,
Kaien Cruz
Photo by Mario Anzuoni/
REUTERS
Kid Cudi is among
the headliners
scheduled to
perform at the
Governors
Ball at Citi
Field this
summer.
Photo courtesy of Queens Theatre
The brand-new show at the Queens Theatre parodies classic “Golden Girls” moments with puppets
portraying the four women.
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