Fringe Theater Key West will present the world premiere of “Personal Effects,” a new play by local playwright Chris Moore. Performances will run Dec. 9-13 at 7 p.m. in the Key West Armory, 600 White St.
Moore traded a career in advertising to embrace life in Key West in 2017. When he realized that he and his wife (and cat) live in Tennessee Williams’ old neighborhood, he was inspired to try something new — and began writing scripts.
“Chris started submitting new scripts a couple of years ago,” said Rebecca Tomlinson, Fringe’s managing artistic director. “I’d give him feedback, and he’d submit rewrites. That went on for a while. I really liked his writing style, so we hosted a reading of one of his early works, ‘End of the Road.’ That went very well, so we were both anxious to find a story that Fringe could stage. Once ‘Personal Effects’ took shape, I knew we’d found it. The story really hit home. I mean, most of us have people we just stopped being there for once we discovered our island life. This play asks us to consider the consequences of that choice.”
“Personal Effects” tells the story of adult siblings who arrive in Key West to sort through the belongings of their recently deceased father — a beloved island icon who abandoned the family 30 years ago. As they uncover surprising keepsakes and memories, the siblings are forced to reconcile the public image of a beloved community figure with their private reality of a missing father. Old wounds surface. Can fresh perspectives emerge?
The cast of “Personal Effects” includes local actors Aramis Ikatu, Sarah Goodwin, Tim Dahms and Mariah Woessner. It is directed by Tomlinson with light design by Kendall Cameron with Samantha Laskey and Ray West on production crew.
“Personal Effects” is sponsored by Hear4U Audiology. Reserved seating tickets are $45 and $65. They are available at keystix.com or by calling 305-295-7676. Seating is limited so advanced ticket purchase is recommended.
Fringe Theater is the island’s home for intimate and innovative performances in a versatile black-box space that brings audiences closer to the art of live theater. From reimagined classics to original works and locally inspired stories, Fringe is dedicated to celebrating local creativity and fostering community connections.
