![\"Florida](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792552454_192_.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\nFor those of a certain age, the \u201860s are remembered \u2014 fondly or not \u2014 as the age of political protest. But between anti-ICE and No Kings rallies, the \u201860s take a back seat to the nationwide protests sweeping the nation. With this in mind, Florida Rep Producing Artistic Director Greg Longenhagen believes it\u2019s a good time to bring Neil Simon\u2019s \u201cStar-Spangled Girl\u201d to the historic Arcade Theatre.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the reasons why we chose it is that if there is any ethos in there, it’s really about free speech,\u201d Longenhagen said.<\/p>\n
But the gist of the play is not about protest, but rather the ability of love and comedy to heal any political divide.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’ve got these young Dartmouth-educated guys from Philly who go to San Francisco in 1966 to set up a protest magazine,\u201d Longenhagen noted. \u201cWho moves in next door but this Olympic swimmer, female swimmer, and she’s very patriotic and what we call maybe conservative today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Within a nanosecond, the only cause the Dartmouth duo, Andy Hobart and Norman Cornell, care about is scoring points with their sweet-smelling upstairs star-spangled neighbor, Sophie Rauschmeyer.<\/p>\n
In classic Neil Simon form, what ensues are shenanigans rife with comic conflict, slapstick, and jabs, japes, and jokes providing once and for all that love conquers all.<\/p>\n
\u201cStar-Spangled Girl\u201d runs through Nov. 8 at Florida Repertory Theatre.<\/p>\n
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Courtesy of Florida Repertory Theatre<\/p>\n
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www.floridarep.org <\/p>\n
A member of the original founding company of Florida Repertory Theatre, Greg Longenhagen serves as its producing artistic director. <\/p>\n
MORE INFORMATION:<\/p>\n
\u201cStar-Spangled Girl\u201d is one of Neil Simon\u2019s lesser-known plays.<\/p>\n
It is set in the mid-1960s in a San Francisco apartment, where friends Norman Cornell and Andy Hobart are producing a left-wing magazine called “Fallout.” Andy handles the business side of the publication. Norman provides the content.<\/p>\n
When beautiful former Olympic swimmer moves in upstairs, Norman becomes insanely infatuated with her even though she is unabashedly of the my-country-right-or-or-wrong mentality and engaged to a Marine. The very smell of Sophie drives Norman to such distraction that he can\u2019t focus enough to write. That endangers the magazine and spurs Andy to keep Norman on track by any means, including hiring Sophie, even though she has no secretarial skills let alone journalistic ones.<\/p>\n
A number of critics have panned the play as dated, particularly in terms of the sexist pre-Me Too ways in which both Norman and Andy relate to Sophie. But most audiences are willing to regard those excesses as signs of a bygone time.<\/p>\n
\u201cCharm, brightness, deft inventiveness and capacity for good, honest hilarity,\u201d said the New York Post.<\/p>\n
In the original Broadway play, Anthony Perkins played Andy, Richard Benjamin was Norman and Connie Stevens portrayed Sophie.<\/p>\n
The cast<\/p>\n
![\"Gavin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792552455_784_.jpeg\"\/)
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Courtesy of Florida Repertory Theatre<\/p>\n
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www.floridarep.org <\/p>\n
Gavin Michaels plays Andy Hobart. <\/p>\n
Gavin Michaels plays Andy Hobart. His recent credits include Helmy in \u201cCrooked Cross\u201d (Mint Theatre Company, Off-Broadway), Victor Frankenstein in \u201cMary Shelley\u2019s Frankenstein\u201d (Cleveland Play House), Christopher Wren in \u201cThe Mousetrap\u201d (Gulfshore Playhouse), and \u201cLaw and Order: SVU.\u201d He is a graduate of the Case Western Reserve University MFA acting program. He is currently in post-production for \u201cSon of a Bysshe,\u201d an eccentric period drama short film he wrote, produced, and starred in, following the early life of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.<\/p>\n
![\"Larry](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792552455_599_.jpeg\"\/)
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Courtesy of Florida Repertory Theatre<\/p>\n
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www.floridarep.org<\/p>\n
Larry Toyter makes his Florida Repertory Theatre debut in the role of Norman Cornell. <\/p>\n
Larry Toyter makes his Florida Repertory Theatre debut in the role of Norman Cornell. Recent credits include \u201cMilk and Honey\u201d (Adi, J2 Spotlight, Off-Broadway), \u201cDames at Sea\u201d (Lucky, Florida Studio Theatre), \u201cThe Inheritance\u201d (Jasper\/Paul Wilcox, Zoetic Stage), and \u201cLight Switch\u201d (Roggie, Island City Stage). Other favorite credits include \u201cThe Wizard of Oz\u201d (Scarecrow, Riverside Center), \u201cFrozen\u201d (King Agnarr, Maltz Jupiter Theatre), \u201cA Chorus Line\u201d (Bobby, LPAC), and \u201c42nd Street\u201d (Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Sharon Playhouse, Riverside Center, LPAC).<\/p>\n
![\"Ellee](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792552456_697_.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Florida Repertory Theatre<\/p>\n
\/<\/p>\n
www.floridarep.org<\/p>\n
Ellee Jo Trowbridge makes her Florida Repertory Theatre debut in the role of Sophie Rauschmeyer.<\/p>\n
Ellee Jo Trowbridge makes her Florida Repertory Theatre debut in the role of Sophie Rauschmeyer. She is a graduate of Rider University with two bachelor\u2019s degrees in musical and technical theatre. Other professional credits include Billie in\u202f\u201dNice Work If You Can Get It\u201d\u202fand CB\u2019s Sister at the Hollywood Fringe Festival\u2019s production of \u202f\u201dDog Sees God.\u201d<\/p>\n
Support for WGCU\u2019s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.<\/p>\n
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