The Swingset Debuts Next Month

“The Swingset,” a play written by and starring Marco Island resident Kristyn Estes, will make its world premiere at the Arts Center Theater beginning Friday, September 6 and will run through the following weekend.

With the subtitle “The Island’s Naughty Little Secret,” the lighthearted adult comedy reflects a cultural phenomenon present in a number of communities, particularly here in Florida.

Estes says the inspiration for the play came from a conversation she was having with some friends several years ago.

“We were sitting in Wake Up Marco, and someone brought up a story about The Villages,” Estes says. “I thought, hmm, I’d like to find out a little bit more about this, so I started to investigate. I thought it might be an interesting take to tell the story from the viewpoint of someone who is completely naïve and just kind of discovers some interesting tidbits about their local habitat.”

“The Swingset” was featured in the Arts Center Theater’s Readers Theater program in 2022, with audience members essentially “workshopping” the play at a table read and providing input to Estes on the show after.

“Almost every comment was positive,” Estes says. “It kind of floored me. As a performer on the stage, I knew I was getting great feedback from the audience. There were laughs where I thought there’d be laughs and bigger laughs than I expected in a lot of places. I came out of it feeling very positive.”

Estes is an accomplished writer with extensive experience in the arts. Her children’s book, Manuel’s Gift, is a Parents’ Choice Medalist and one of the American Library Association’s “notable books for children.”  For years, she’s been an actor, director and writer in regional and community theater and has also written and hosted an award-winning PBS program, “Friends and Neighbors,” airing in the Chicago metro area.

Her co-star in the show, Fred Buchalter, hails from Detroit and is equally accomplished. He has more than 45 years on stage as an actor and a singer. Among his many roles, he played Mozart in Amadeus, Oscar in The Odd Couple, and has twice shared the stage with Luciano Pavarotti.

“Fred and I have worked together in another capacity,” Estes says. “But we’ve never been on stage together and this is a really cool opportunity to do that.

Estes has plans for “The Swingset” that go well beyond its upcoming run here in Marco.

“I intend to publish this,” she says. “My hope is that ‘The Swingset’ will play in other venues in Southwest Florida and beyond. It’s a cute show that will have you smiling when you leave, and to be able to make people smile is huge.”

Tickets for "The Swingset" are $25 and are available at https://www.marcoislandart.org/arts-center-theatre/ or by calling 239- 784-1186. Ticket prices are $25.