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For more information contact mark.a.kinders@uwrf.edu or brenda.k.bredahl@uwrf.edu.
Disney's 'High School Musical' Crowns St. Croix Valley Summer Theatre Season
JAN. 19, 2007--The highly-touted stage version of the Disney Channel's "High School Musical" highlights the 2007 season of the St. Croix Valley Summer Theatre, based on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
The season opens June 26 with the comedy "The Last Night of Ballyhoo," followed by "Radio Gals," a zany musical set in the 1920s.
An informational meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. in Davis Theatre, Kleinpell Fine Arts Building for people interested in auditioning or working on production crews for the upcoming season.
Auditions for the 2007 season will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Davis Theatre, Kleinpell Fine Arts Building at UW-River Falls.
For more information about participating in the season, contact SCVST managing director Michael Norman at Michael.Norman@uwrf.edu , or 715-425-3971.
"High School Musical"
"High School Musical," based on the smash-hit movie, unfolds live on the Davis Theatre stage July 31-Aug. 12 with several additional new songs, dazzling production numbers and all the familiar characters from the film version. The film soundtrack was the best-selling album of 2006.
"High School Musical" is being directed by Erik Quam, whose previous SCVST credits include "Oliver!," "State Fair," and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." The choreographer is veteran performer and River Falls native Gretchen Page.
"The Last Night of Ballyhoo"
The SCVST's 41 st season opens June 26 with the tender and warm-hearted comedy-drama, "The Last Night of Ballyhoo," by Alfred Uhry, the award-winning author of "Driving Miss Daisy." Performances run June 26-July 1.
The play takes place in Atlanta, Ga., in December 1939 when "Gone With The Wind" is premiering in that city. But the Freitag family is more concerned with who is going to Ballyhoo, the social event of the Atlanta social season. Filled with poignancy and romance, "The Last Night of Ballyhoo" won Broadway's Tony Award for best play.
The director is UWRF theatre professor and veteran of many SCVST seasons, Meg Swanson.
"Radio Gals"
A zany and hilarious musical comedy--filled with conflict, romance, and country humor at a makeshift 1920s Arkansas radio studio--is the third production of the 2007 SCVST season.
"Radio Gals," by the authors (John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk , Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann) of "Pump Boys and Dinettes," is on stage July 10-21. The production is directed by Rosy Kirk, who also directed 2006's popular "Sisters of Swing." Choreographer is Denise Baker, of Hudson, who will also costume the show.
"Radio Gals" follows the antics of music teacher Hazel Hunt, who receives a radio transmitter as her retirement gift and immediately starts WGAL in Cedar Rapids, Ark.
A wacky quintet of singer/musicians gather daily in her parlor, turn on the transmitter, and set hearts thumping and toes tapping with songs, homely chatter and plugs for a rejuvenating tonic that owes its kick to the still out back.
However, Hazel's radio wave jumping brings a federal radio inspector to her door. But she soon discovers the stage struck singer under the bureaucratic façade and he quickly succumbs to the music and romantic shenanigans.
Season ticket sales begin in April; call the SCVST box office at 715-425-3114 or 1-800-228-5423.
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