Hickory – Women’s Resource Center is please to partner with Well Behaved Women Theatre Company in their second annual production on Saturday, May 31. The benefit performance will be at Drendel Auditorium in Hickory, with tickets on sale now. Women’s Resource Center was the recipient of last October’s WBW fundraiser as well, with over $11,000 raised at a sold- out performance.

Michelle Morgan, Executive Director of Women’s Resource Center, shared: “We’re honored to once again partner with Well Behaved Women Theatre Company. Their creativity and commitment to uplifting women’s voices aligns so beautifully with our mission. Community-driven events like this not only raise critical funds, but also inspire meaningful conversations and deeper engagement around the issues women in our community face.”

This year, comedy The Lost Virginity Tour, features well-known local actresses Dorothy Collier Best, Connie Bools, Chrissy Colavecchio and Shawna Wilson. Pam Livingstone, Artistic Director Emerita of Hickory Community Theatre after 20 years there, is directing.

“This story is one of enduring and deepening sisterhood, and the value of close friends to laugh out loud with throughout our lives,” says WBW Artistic Director Wilson.

Happy Trails Senior Resort in Surprise, Arizona, is the home for a group of dear friends who set out on a cross-country road trip to the places where they lost their virginity. The trip is at turns hilarious, moving, and heartbreaking as the women share their stories from decades ago. Close and supportive before, their journey yields even deeper bonds by its end.

Dorothy Collier-Best plays Elaine, a widow who is both wise and a natural peacemaker when needed. Collier-Best has had a lifelong passion for the theatre. She began her career at the age of nine in television and theatre in Los Angeles. Since 2011 Dorothy has performed in numerous productions in the Hickory area. Highlights are Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, and Marilyn in Ripcord, which was directed by Shawna Wilson, Artistic Director of WBW.

Connie Bools plays Rita, a sharp, practical woman whose sense of humor is intact after nearly 40 years of marriage. Bools has been appearing on local stages for over 25 years. She has appeared in over 30 productions at Hickory Community Theatre as well as productions at The Green Room and Foothills Performing Arts. Connie has collected seven Kay Awards at Hickory Community Theatre and a Willy Award from Foothills Performing Arts. Some of her memorable roles include M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias, Aoife in Outside Mullingar and Sonia in Vanya Sonia Masha and Spike.

Written by Cricket Daniel, the play has been performed to enthusiastic audiences all over the country, nominated for many awards, and was a Los Angeles Times’ “Critic’s Choice – Pick of the Week” in 2019.

Sponsorships are appreciated and available at various levels for this WRC fundraiser and are available via the ticket link below. Some perks of the sponsorships range from ads up a full page or cover in the event program, multiple free drinks and tickets, social media shout-outs and recognition from the stage that night. Learn more via the Women’s Resource Center website, https://wrchickory.org, or on their Facebook page.

A list of current sponsors includes: George and Sandra Clay, Dr. Dori Hunt, Morgan Law, Kilty Pleasure Tours, Time Genies, Steve Austin, AICP, Patrick Harper & Dixon, Cargo Transporters, Building Systems of Catawba, UPS, and Bass-Smith funeral Home.

Tickets and sponsorships are available on Zeffy, https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/the-lost-virginity-tour-a-one-night-only-theatrical-event-by-well-behaved-women-theater-company or via WRC’s Facebook page, www.wrchickory.org. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Doors open at 6:30pm, the show is at 7:30pm. There will be light snacks and drinks available before the show and at intermission. There will also be a Silent Auction. Drendle Auditorium is on the SALT Block in Hickory, 243 3rd Ave NE, 28601.

*Trigger Warning: The play contains a brief account of sexual violence in one character’s story. While the play’s overall tone is comedic and uplifting, WBW and WRC recognize the importance of informing the audience about sensitive content in advance.

Women’s Resource Center is located at 125 3rd Street NE in Hickory. WRC provides one-on-one assistance, goal planning, and advocacy to support women navigating challenges due to domestic violence, unstable housing, unemployment, and any other insecurities a woman can face. They also offer support groups, and educational and enrichment workshops designed to empower women at every stage of life. Proudly serving the Unifour area (Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba Counties) for over thirty-eight years.

Photo: Dorothy Collier-Best and Connie Bools are two of the popular local actresses in the “The Lost Virginity Tour”. It will be presented on May 31, at Drendle Auditorium in Hickory. Benefiting Women’s Resource Center, tickets for the comedy are now on sale.