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‘S.S. Gigantic’ sets sail to fund a charitable cause

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By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer 6:49 PM Thursday, February 4, 2010

FAIRFIELD — Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip ... aboard the S.S. Gigantic.

Yes, that’s the Gigantic, not the Minnow, that’s the setting of a dinner theater show being staged by Fairfield’s Covenant Community Church. “The Last Voyage of the SS Gigantic,” which the church describes as a cross between “Gilligan’s Island” and “Titanic,” plays at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12-13.

This is the third show put on by the church, said Jennifer Lutz, one of the actors in the play. In “Gigantic,” written by Daniel Wray, a group of privileged, upper-crust passengers is sailing on the S.S. Gigantic and find it quaint to mingle with commoners — until fate forces them to mingle when the bumbling first mate Silligan (yes, that rhymes with Gilligan) inadvertently leaves the shower on and causes a flood.

“We’ve got a lot of acting talent in our church. A couple of the girls were in the thespian society (at Fairfield High School),” said Lutz, who plays the main character’s friend. “I make humorous comments. I’m like a dumb blonde, but I’m not blonde.”

Although the show is mostly “just kind of goofy,” there is a serious intent behind it. The proceeds from the show will raise money for a mission trip to Kokomo, Ind., which was listed by Forbes magazine as the third “Fastest Dying Town” in the country.

“We’ll go in and do various community projects, like going into soup kitchens and serving or home improvement projects — anything the community needs,” Lutz said.

This ministry, to be undertaken June 27 through July 2, will be performed by the church’s senior high youth ministry.

The dinner theater menu will include pork tenderloin, potato casserole, tossed salad, carrots, rolls and chocolate eclair.

Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the church office by calling (513) 942-5570 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.

ontact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.