Gaelic Park Players closes its 2023-24 season by bringing back dinner and a show.
“Anyone Could Rob a Bank” from April 12 to 21 at Chicago Gaelic Park in Oak Forest marks the first time the community theater group has offered a dinner-theater combination since staging “Dooley’s Raid” in fall 2019.
“A lot of people who go to Gaelic Park for dinner, this is an added thing for a show. People can get a great meal because Gaelic Park has great food,” said Julie L. Zebleckis, director of “Anyone Could Rob a Bank.”
“In the past, a lot of people bought dinner-and-play tickets so I’m pretty sure that’s going to bring people in. I think the people who have been coming to our plays the past few years without it are probably going to be happy.”
Reservations are required for the theater and pub dinner combo, which requires bookings no later than 6:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at Chicago Gaelic Park’s The Carraig Irish Pub. The menu includes shepherd’s pie, chicken curry, beef stew, specialty burgers, a chicken sandwich and a toasted special.
Reservations also are required for the theater and buffet dinner combo, which features a spread after Sunday performances.
“Anyone Could Rob a Bank” is a comedy by Thomas Coffey.
“It’s very funny. There’s a lot of humorous physical action,” said Zebleckis, who is working on her first production of “Anyone Could Rob a Bank.”
“Three men talk about how they would rob a bank. They’re reading the paper. The one guy says, ‘All the people who rob the bank got caught but I could do it better.’ He tells them exactly how he would rob the bank. He includes them in the plan.
“The second act, they find out the bank has been robbed. They start blaming each other. In the end, we find out who really robbed the bank.”
The cast for “Anyone Could Rob a Bank” includes residents of Chicago’s Beverly community, Homewood, Manteno, Midlothian and Orland Park.
“They’re doing a great job,” said Zebleckis about Rick Andersen as Badger, Katherine Carl as Noreen, Bridget Christianson as Sarah, Michael Kocher as Tony, Charlie Pasters as Jerreen, Jay Gyarmathy as Windy, Mike Gandy as Sergeant and Daniel Krajniak as Mickey.
Zebleckis of Bolingbrook has been involved with Gaelic Park Players for approximately a decade.
“They’re friendly. They’re courteous. They welcome people. They do great performances. They are passionate about theater and especially Irish theater,” Zebleckis said.
“At auditions, a lot of the board members were there. For new people, they went and introduced themselves and welcomed them. It was nice to see.”
She has performed at Chicago Gaelic Park’s annual Irish Fest for approximately two decades, first with The Beverly Theatre Guild and for 15 years through WildFlower, which she co-founded with Marty Donovan of Orland Park and Kathy Holahan Oliva of Crestwood.
Zebleckis also is involved with Limestone Stage in Lockport for which she co-directs “Miracle on 34th Street” from Dec. 6 to 15 with Luke Janchenko and Palos Village Players in Palos Park.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
‘Anyone Could Rob a Bank’
When: April 12-21
Where: Chicago Gaelic Park, 6119 W. 147th St., Oak Forest
Tickets: $15 show only; $35-$45 dinner and show
Information: 708-687-9323; gaelicparkplayers.org
