Viera Resident Wins Ropp Playwright Award

“Drinking Poison” is by Cheryl Navo of Indian River Colony Club

(VIERA, FL) July 24, 2024– U.S. Army veteran Cheryl Navo has been awarded the 2024 Ropp Playwright Award and a $500 cash prize by Surfside Playhouse in Cocoa Beach for her 90-minute original play, Drinking Poison. The 61-year-old resident of Indian River Colony Club in Viera will have her play produced at Surfside Playhouse, with six performances scheduled from July 26th through August 4th. Drinking Poison is a powerful look into the raw and complex aftermath of a school shooting. A description of the production directed by Nancy Matical-Bock reads: “Drinking Poison is not just a story about loss; it is a reflection on how we process grief, assign blame, and ultimately find a path forward.” Due to mature content, performances are for audiences 16 years of age and older. $20 tickets for Drinking Poison are available at SurfsidePlayhouse.com.

The annual Arlan Ropp Playwriting Contest is open to playwrights in Brevard, Volusia and Indian River Counties, with full-length plays assessed by an anonymous panel of judges. Navo’s submission was deemed “Best Play.”

“I read a book about the Columbine school shooting that gave me a new perspective on these tragedies that occur all too frequently,” said Navo. “Then, recently, there was a court case where the mother and father were convicted in the wake of a school shooting tragedy. I started considering the responsibility angle and I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I wrote it down.”

While stationed in Europe as a member of the U.S. Army, Cheryl took up playwriting and won several awards. In 2021, after a career in the civil service, Navo moved to Indian River Colony Club, the Viera 55+ neighborhood of military veterans.

Cheryl and actor-husband Tom are involved with theater productions inside IRCC, as well as at Surfside Playhouse in Cocoa Beach. Cheryl is a member of both the American Association of Community Theatre and The Dramatists Guild. Her plays have been performed in Europe, Canada, and the US.

Viera’s very first neighborhood, Indian River Colony Club is known as “The Place Patriots Call Home.” A haven for military veterans, the par-72 private golf course community has a patriotic culture and country club amenities for active adults aged 55 and over. For more information about Indian River Colony Club, contact us, or follow our Facebook page.