Summer with Bite: TheatreFor’s Season Serves Laughs, Truth-Telling, and a Texan Firebrand

By Avery Anderson

In Clearwater, summer is getting a sharp dose of satire—and a touch of Texas sass.

With Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins opening June 12, TheatreFor kicks off its summer season with a no-holds-barred tribute to one of journalism’s most fearless voices. The play, a sharp-tongued, heartfelt portrait of legendary columnist Molly Ivins, stars Tampa Bay’s own Samantha Marti-Parisi in a performance that promises to entertain, provoke, and inspire. Directed by local theatre veteran Stephen Bell, the production runs through June 22 at TheatreFor’s intimate Clearwater venue.

For TheatreFor, a young company with big ideas, this summer marks both a celebration and a statement.

“Molly’s story isn’t just a look back—it’s a rallying cry,” said Marti-Parisi. “At a time when truth is up for grabs, Molly reminds us what it means to speak up, laugh loud, and never back down.”

Originally slated for last fall but delayed due to Hurricane Idalia, Red Hot Patriot is a collaboration between TheatreFor and Siren Media, sparked by Marti-Parisi’s longtime admiration for Ivins.

“I’ve always been drawn to women who refuse to shrink themselves to make others comfortable,” she said. “Molly was bold, brilliant, and unapologetically herself. Getting to step into her boots—and her voice—feels like both a challenge and an honor.”

The solo performance gets an added twist with actor Blake Boles as a “copy runner”—a silent but grounding presence and, for Boles, a farewell Florida performance before heading to New York to finish his BFA.

Audiences can also expect two unique opportunities to experience the show: a $15 industry and community preview on June 11, and a benefit performance on June 21 supporting Voices of Hope for Aphasia.

“Molly used her voice for those who didn’t have one,” Marti-Parisi noted. “This benefit is our way of continuing that legacy.”

If Ivins’ fierce commentary gives the season its backbone, TheatreFor’s second summer show brings the belly laughs. The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s farcical romp about jealous husbands and clever women, gets a ‘totally tubular’ twist in a new adaptation by Dee O’Brien. Styled like a 1980s sitcom—complete with throwback costumes, retro props, and nods to classics like Cheers and Three’s Company—the production aims to delight Shakespeare aficionados and first-timers alike.

“Merry Wives has always been a comedy of chaos,” Graham Jones, TheatreFor Board Member said. “Setting it in the sitcom world just made sense. It’s fast, it’s funny, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously—which, frankly, is something we could all use right now.”

Both summer productions are women-led, something the company says happens naturally when equity is built into its foundation.

“Two of our six founding partners are women,” Jones said. “That perspective shapes our programming in thoughtful, exciting ways.”

But TheatreFor’s ambitions don’t end with summer. The fall lineup includes a reimagined Picture of Dorian Gray set in the 1980s, the world premiere of Clone by DC Cathro in partnership with St. Pete College’s Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, and a new holiday play, The Three Scrooges, penned by Stephen Bell.

Founded with a mission to bring acclaimed but under-seen work to northern Pinellas County, TheatreFor is carving out a niche for bold, smart productions in an intimate setting. Less than a year into its first full season, the company has already built a loyal following—and a reputation for taking risks.

“There’s a real hunger for theatre that challenges and entertains,” said Jones. “We’re not here to play it safe. We’re here to spark conversation, to build community, and to remind people why live theatre matters.”

And if that sounds like something Molly Ivins might’ve written? All the better.

If You Go

🎭 Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins

📅 June 12–22 | Thurs–Sat at 7:30 PM, Sun at 2:00 PM

🎟 $15 Industry & Community Preview – June 11

🎟 Benefit for Voices of Hope for Aphasia – June 21

📍 TheatreFor | 1863 N. Highland Ave, Clearwater, FL

🔗 Tickets & Info: www.theatrefor.com