Skating Through Generations: The Rink at TheatreZone Unveils the Beauty and Struggles of Mother-Daughter Bonds

Show Opens February 6 and runs through February 16

Naples, FL (January 13, 2025) – TheatreZone continues its 20th anniversary season as Naples’ premier musical theatre with the Feb. 6 opening of The Rink, the Broadway roller-skating musical about a mother seeking to move on with her life and a long-estranged daughter hoping to come back home.

“The Rink is a musical about letting go of the past while restoring the bonds that endure,” explains TheatreZone’s Founding Artistic Director Mark Danni. “It’s a story about a relationship torn apart by anger and deception and how it can be rebuilt with forgiveness – all set to incredible music and lyrics by the legendary team of John Kander and Fred Ebb,” he adds.

Kander and Ebb are the renowned team behind Cabaret; Chicago; Kiss of the Spider Woman; The Visit, and the world-famous song, “New York, New York.” The Rink was their 10th collaboration. The book for The Rink is by Terrence McNally. Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera originated the roles on Broadway in 1984, and Rivera won her first Tony award and Drama Desk Award for her performance as Anna.

The original version of The Rink has not been available for licensing for 40 years. “This will be the first time in four decades that anyone will hear this story and music as originally intended,” Danni shares.

TheatreZone’s access to the original material is due to Danni’s personal connection with John Kander. “I loved doing The Rink,” Kander remarked in a recent interview. “The show was an incredible, emotionally fulfilling experience and it’s a piece I’m especially proud of. It represents some of Fred and Terrence’s best work. And I’m just thrilled it’s being done at TheatreZone.”

Set in 1978 in a declining Coney Island-style amusement boardwalk, The Rink tells the mother-daughter relationship through flashbacks, moving through the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and reflecting the cultural shifts of the eras.

The Rink also offers lighthearted moments through its dance numbers and the comedic charm of “The Wreckers,” six male performers who play various characters, including women in the flashbacks. 

Meet the Cast

Karen Molnar Danni leads the production as Anna, the mother and owner of the skating rink. A seasoned actress and choreographer, and TheatreZone’s associate artistic director and co-founder, Danni also choreographs the show. She describes The Rink’s choreography as a nostalgic journey, featuring roller-skating numbers, swing dancing, disco, and Broadway soft-shoe styles.

Sarah Beth Ganey stars as Angel, Anna’s estranged daughter. This marks her second TheatreZone appearance after Carrie: The Musical, in which she co-starred with Karen Molnar Danni. “Angel loves her mother more than anything, even though she originally left home feeling betrayed,” Ganey explains.

            Other cast members include:

  • Adolpho Blaire as Lino/Lenny/Uncle Fausto

  • Will Knoop as Buddy/Hiram/Mrs. Jackson/Charlie/Junior Miller

  • Mason Hensley as Guy/Dino/Father Rocco/Debbie Duberman

  • Jackson Mattek as Lucky/Sugar/Arnie/Bobby Perillo/Danny

  • Gianni Saverio as Tony/Tom/Peter Reilly

  • Hugo Moreno as Ben/Dino’s Father/Sister Philomena/Mrs. Silverman

  • Anice Ducanes as Little Girl

Performance Schedule and Talkback

Performances of The Rink will run from Thursday, February 6, through Sunday, February 16. The schedule is:

7:30 p.m. February 6-8 and 13-16

2 p.m. February 8-9 and 15-16

Ticket prices range from $50 to $85. A post-show talkback with the cast and creative team will take place after the Thursday, February 13 performance at no additional charge.

Reviews

"A serious musical ... Terence McNally’s book is lean and hard even in its sentimentality McNally uses a very fluid time warp for his story ... The Rink ... provides much pleasure as well as real emotion.”   

New York Post 

"A family relations saga that can be both tough and sentimental ... The Rink looks back at the period culminating in the 1970s with a perspective touched with humor" 

The Christian Science Monitor 

About TheatreZone

TheatreZone, celebrating its 20th season in 2024-2025, performs its musical productions in the intimate 250-seat G&L Theatre conveniently located in Naples at 13275 Livingston Road, between Pine Ridge and Vanderbilt Beach Roads, in a dedicated building nestled within the campus of the Community School of Naples.

TheatreZone’s contract with the Actors’ Equity Association ensures access to the best actors, singers, dancers, musicians, and stage management professionals from throughout the country. The nonprofit, 501(c)(3) was established in 2005 by Mark Danni and Karen Molnar Danni, who have both enjoyed successful careers on Broadway and Off-Broadway.

Visit www.theatre.zone for information and tickets or call the box office at 888-966-3352.

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