OUR 2010 CAST PLAYHOUSE SUMMER FAMILY SERIES

The Wizard of Oz

August 27 – September 1, 2010
Written by Anne Coulter Martens -  Non-musical Version

Directed by John Anderberg

A clever, entertaining and fast paced dramatization based upon the timeless and exciting L. Frank Baum classic adventure story of young Dorothy who finds herself lost in the strange and magical Land of Oz. Follow Dorothy and her dog Toto as they meet up with the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on their way to see the great and terrible Oz. Adventure, self-discovery, and community are all part of the story.

The Music Man Junior

July 23 – August 4, 2010
Written by Meredith Willson, Directed by Jeanna Van Dyke

The Music Man is an American musical classic, following fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill and his visit to River City, Iowa where he meets and falls in love with the willful, spinster librarian, Marian Paroo. Songs include: Ya Got Trouble; Goodnight My Someone; Seventy-Six Trombones; Pick-A-Little; Wells Fargo Wagon; Shipoopi; Gary Indiana; Until There Was You; and more!

The Saddest King

June 25 – 30, 2010
Written and Directed by Mickey Johnson

This story has a ballet-loving prince, a swashbuckling princess, a wizard, a jester, an overbearing queen, a sad king, and a friendly dragon. The adventure begins when everyone tries to make the king happy again.

.

OUR FORTY-FIRST / 2010-2011 SEASON

DRACULA

By Steven Dietz

October 8 – 24, 2010

“I want your fear. For your fear, like a current, rushes through your body. Your fear makes your heart pound, it renders your veins rich and full. Your fear hemorrhages deliciously within you.” This new adaptation restores the suspense and seduction of Bram Stoker’s classic novel to the stage. As Count Dracula begins to exert his will upon the residents of London, they try to piece together the clues of his appearances – in a valiant attempt to save themselves from a hideous fate. Rich with both humor and horror, this play paints a wickedly theatrical picture of Stoker’s famous vampire.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR  DREAMCOAT

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Tim Rice

December 3 – 19, 2010

Take a RAINBOW ride through biblical Egypt with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s irresistible retelling of the story of Joseph, his jealous brothers and one very loud garment! A colorful tale that spans musical styles from calypso to rock to disco to country, this worldwide phenomenon has been an audience favorite for more than thirty-five years! Songs include: “Go Go Go Joseph”, “Any Dream Will Do”, Song of the King (Seven Fat Cows).

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY

Book & Lyrics by Judith Viorst
Music by Shelly Markham

Public Performances January 21-23, 2011

It’s 7 a.m. You wake up with a nasty wad of gum in your hair. Trip on your skateboard. Drop your sweater in a sink full of water. And your brothers express interest in trading you for some roller blades. And now it’s only 7:15 a.m.! As bad days go, it’s tough to top Alexander’s. He’s the funniest fed-up kid ever, and this is one of the coolest kid’s musicals ever.

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

By Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett
Newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman

February 18 – 27, 2011

In this transcendently powerful play, Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl, who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of her time with astonishing honesty, wit, and determination. An impassioned drama about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK captures the claustrophobic realities of their daily existence – their fear, their hope, their laughter, their grief. Each day of these two dark years, Anne’s voice shines through.

URINETOWN

Music & Lyrics by Mark Hollmann
Book & Lyrics by  Greg Kotis

April 1 – 17, 2011

The winner of Tony Awards for Best Musical Score and Best Book, URINETOWN is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he’s had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Songs include: “Run, Freedom, Run”, “Don’t Be The Bunny”, “Follow Your Heart” and “I See A River”.

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN

Adapted by Christopher Sergel
From the book by Frank Gilbreth & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

May 13 – 29, 2011

What do you get when you put twelve lively kids together with a father, a famous efficiency expert, who believes families can run like factories, and a mother who is his partner in everything except discipline? You get an engaging coming-of-age story that still rings true. Teenage rebellion against parental authority looked pretty much the same in the early 1900‘s as it does now. This endearing classic comedy is based on memoirs written by two of the actual ‘dozen,’ this family-friendly show caps off our 41st season.