'Six Women with Brain Death'

"Six Women with Brain Death," the smash hit musical that ran for a record-breaking eight years at The Studio Theatre in downtown Sacramento, will return for its final engagement opening Thursday.Billed as "Six Women with Brain Death: the Goodbye Tour," it will be the last show produced by The Studio Theatre's founder Jacqueline Schultz. She will be retiring at the end of the year. Schultz, who built the theatre in 1994, wanted to make a contribution to the development of the R Street corridor, so she leased an empty building at 11th and R streets on what is now a thriving arts block.During the last 10 years, The Studio Theatre has done countless fundraisers, donated space for events and art projects, donated tickets and/or performances for various cancer groups, Breaking Barriers, Lambda, Sacramento Area Regional Theatre Alliance, Temple Beth Israel and the Center for Complex Infectious Disease. Schultz is retiring due to her nine-year struggle with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS). Due to the nature of the illness, which has rendered her bedridden for months at a time, she can no longer continue to produce theatre. But she has no intention of going out quietly. The show that put The Studio Theatre on the map will go on once again before taking its final bow.Directed and choreographed by Schultz, "Six Women with Brain Death: The Goodbye Tour" will feature many of the actresses who helped make the show the longest-running musical in Sacramento history, including Evon Biondi, Maria Bueb, Rachell Gonzales, Chris Hille, Shelley Russell Riley, Rachel Songer and Andrea Eve Thorpe. Written by Cheryl Benge, Christy Brandt, Rosana E. Coppedge, Valerie Fagan, Ross Freese, Mark Houston, Sandee Johnson and Peggy Pharr Wilson, with music and lyrics by Mark Houston, the production is a zany, ribald musical revue.It spoofs everything from daytime soaps, high school reunions, and game shows, to Bambi, and Barbie and Ken. It pokes fun at the inanities of modern life from relationships to marriage and motherhood, to politics, religion and popular culture. "Six Women" will play Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., starting Thursday and playing through Dec. 18.There will be an opening night wine and cheese reception at 7 p.m. on Thursday.Tickets are $25 for opening night or $17 to $19 for all other performances. For reservations call the box office at (916) 446-2668 or reserve online at www.thestudiotheatre.net.