Gender Bender Comedy

The Jacobson Center for the Performing Arts will present its sixth musical, “Victor/Victoria” starting June 11, with an unconventional seating arrangement designed to bring the audience closer to the action—without any of the oft-dreaded element of audience participation.

The production, which runs through June 19, will transform the Bridgehampton Community House on Montauk Highway into a Parisian nightclub. The audience will sit “cabaret style” at tables in the center of the space while the action 
takes place in front, behind, to the right and left and sometimes even running through the 
audience, as the actors use various platforms to deliver the story behind a 1930s mock drag queen.

Starring in the production are Sue Vinski, Jack Crimmins, Joan Lyons, Nicholas Smith and Alberto Gonclaves.

Set in Paris during the 1930s, the story follows poverty-stricken opera singer Victoria as she receives the assistance of gay cabaret performer Toddy in inventing her alter ego, a man, Victor, who has an act as a female impersonator. Victoria becomes a raging success performing as a man pretending to be a woman. But when a macho male nightclub owner falls in love with the soprano, the scam starts to unravel at the seams.

“I have a whole new respect for drag queens, because you’re basically playing a split personality,” said Ms. Vinski, who plays Victoria.

According to Eric Jacobson, who gave his name to the training center and resident troupe and will direct the show, the split persona of Victoria makes the play a challenge.

But the notion of a musical comedy that makes the audience forget where they are for two and a half hours is one of the goals of this production, according to Mr. Jacobson.

“I love huge production numbers,” the director said. Although the production will follow the 1995 original Broadway version that starred Julie Andrews—not the 1982 movie version that also featured Ms. Andrews alongside James Garner and Robert Preston—the play will take on the spirit of the center’s executive director and choreographer, Mr. Jacobson.

“I don’t like copy and paste theater,” said Mr. Jacobson, 37, assuring audience members that his production will be original in its own right.

One piece of originality will come from the costumes. Rather than ordering all the garments from a warehouse, Mr. Jacobson encouraged all cast members to scour the East End in search of trappings for their dramatic persona from thrift stores, T.J. Maxx and department stores.

“Ebay, they have some great drag queen stuff,” said Ms. Vinski. who also performed in “Ruthless” and “Joe Sent Me” with the center.

The Jacobson Center, a non-profit organization, formed three years ago when Mr. Jacobson decided after stints in both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions to form his own theater company.

The center uses industry professionals to teach acting, singing and dancing, with the ultimate goal of working toward the next production, according to Mr. Jacobson. “So it’s not just steps, it’s toward a show,” Ms. Vinski said. Students at the center range in age from 8 to 88.

As for the next production, Mr. Jacobson is turning to a personal manuscript he has been working on for 10 years, entitled “For No Good Reason,” about 1930s dance marathons that Mr. Jacobson hopes will debut in the fall.

“I’m always planning,” Mr. Jacobson said.

“Victor/Victoria” will be presented from June 11 to June 19 at the Bridgehampton Community House on Main Street in Bridgehampton. Tickets are $25 each in advance by calling 516-236-6970, or $30 at the door. For online information, visit jacobsoncenter.org.