"Somebody's gotta keep an eye on these big geniuses," comments Laura Partridge played by local actress Jeanne Danis. The little guy can make a difference & ordinary stockholders can keep the CEO's honest. This message is as true today as it was in the 50ās when Howard Teichmann and George S. Kaufman's The Solid Gold Cadillac first opened. The Broadway hit was made into an award-winning movie in 1956 starring Judy Holiday as Partridge.

This laugh riot opens at the Coronado Playhouse Friday, April 7. Directed by Jerry Moorehead, the play begins with the annual stockholder's meeting and election of officers of a manufacturing empire called General Products. Old officers are moved up a notch and new officers must be elected; the president of the corporation has taken a big government post in Washington and has been forced to sell his stock at a profit of three million dollars. The election is going smoothly and the meeting is about over when Laura Partridge, the proud stockholder of ten shares, irritates the company's management by speaking up and questioning their enormous salaries & asks how many hours the CEO works to earn this money. Her questions annoy CEO T. John Blessington (Jack Pritchard) and his irritating right-hand man, Clifford Snell (Ray Fraggi).

They decide that in order to squelch her, they'll give her an executive position with a phony job as a kind of liaison officer for the other minority stockholders. Soon Miss Partridge is ensconced in her new office, with her own secretary. Her title is one that the executives made up: Director of Stockholder Relations. Blessington explains that she is to wait for any letters from shareholders and to answer them, letting them know more about the company. She takes her job seriously and writes chatty, friendly letters to the other minority stockholders asking about their health, their children, and the weather, and makes solid friendships with the small stockholders.

The officers of the corporation become a bit uneasy at this, and they're all set to fire her when she discovers that a small firm that General Products has just forced into bankruptcy is its own subsidiary firm. Using this as a gentle means of prodding the directors, she keeps her own job. When the former president learns what a mess the current directors are making of his business, however, he resigns from his government job and the big fight is on to regain control of his own business. Things look dark indeed . . . Come see The Solid Gold Cadillac to enjoy the comedic antics as good triumphs over greed.

Also in the cast are Ann Richardson (Narrator), Bob Christiansen (Alfred Metcalfe), John Bridges (Warren Gillie), Maggie Bowers (Amelia Shotgraven), David Meredith (Mark Jenkins), Susan Tubielewicz (Miss L'Arriere), Richard Pines (Edward L. McKeever), George Blum (Bill Parker), Al Phillips (Dwight Brookfield), & Sarah Yakutis (Estelle Evans).

Don't miss the Opening Night Gala of this famous comedy on Friday, April 7 with a Champagne Buffet starting at 7 p.m. followed by the play at 8 p.m. Dinner & the show cost $30.00.

The show runs through May 14, 2000 at the Coronado Playhouse every Thursday, Friday, & Saturday @ 8 P.M. with a Sunday matinee @ 2 P.M. Tickets cost $12 & $15 with group rates available for eight or more people. The Friday night buffet dinner costs $15 over ticket price while the Sunday Brunch April 9 & May 14 (Mother's Day) is $12 over the ticket price. Don't miss this hilarious funfest. (1775 Strand Way in Coronado). Phone (619) 435-4856 or FAX (619) 435-2866 for reservations. Visit the website at http://www.coronadoplayhouse.com for more information about the season.