Only one organization in town can get Ketchikan’s doctors, lawyers, dentists, and judges to dress up in funny clothes and sing on stage – the 40-year old First City Players. If you have a soft spot for local theatre, an FCP production in Ketchikan is worth the ticket.
Offering up several shows a year, First City Players is probably best known for its long-running melodrama, The Fish Pirate’s daughter, which plays three weekends each July – accompanied by an all-you-can-eat crab dinner – to crowds of locals and visitors alike. A spoof on Creek Street and Prohibition, The Fish Pirate’s Daughter is a humorous glance into the city’s illustrious past.
The “mama” of Ketchikan drama, Elizabeth Nelson, has been the driving force behind the First City Players over the last four decades. If you happen to catch one of the ten or 11 productions they present each year – say, Damn Yankees, Camelot or even Les Miserablés, you’ll see the magic of theatre come alive with lots of talent and a dedicated crew that have been lauded as a the “number two most active threatre group in the United States.”
If you’re visiting Ketchikan and staying the night, be sure to check out the First City Players web site to see what’s playing – and if you’re staying longer, get in the act!
