Scheduling changes at Sarasota's Asolo Rep

   Asolo Repertory Theatre's performance of "Philadelphia, Here I Come!" scheduled for this past Saturday night was canceled, and "Other Desert Cities" was staged in its place. The result was a very small audience for "Other Desert Cities," which had opened the night before, and lots of ticket exchanges and explanations at the box office.

Asolo's "Philadelphia"

   The official explanation was "just some scheduling changes." Another, upcoming performance of "Philadelphia" has also been canceled.
   On Tuesday, Peter Amster, who's directing "Sasha, and Masha and Sonia and Spike" for Asolo, said that "Philadelphia" was being retooled. It had been edited and it was decided to restore the scenes that had been dropped. The show would go back into rehearsals and would re-open in early February.
 "Philadelphia, Here I Come!" is a Brian Friel drama about young Irish man who's about to leave his home and family and move to America. The Asolo Rep version, directed by Frank Galati, had been pared down to 90 minutes and had dropped one character entirely.
    It opened Jan. 10 and the version Asolo Rep audiences have seen so far was elegant and effective.
   The Asolo Rep website says that on Jan. 29, when "Philadelphia, Here I Come!" has been canceled, the theater will instead stage "Vanya and Masha and Sonia and Spike."
    If you have tickets or plans to see "Philadelphia," you'd be wise to check www.asolorep.org or call the box office at 941- 351-9010 to get any schedule updates.