Cast members have been spending the past several weeks rehearsing under the professional guidance of Guest Director Sue Schriber in preparation for the upcoming spring musical, “Side By Side By Sondheim,” which will be staged in the Brubeck Theatre on March 17, 18, 19, and 20.
A community theater cast under the direction of Sue Schriber has been preparing for an extraordinary spring musical with the Tony Award-winning production “Side By Side By Sondheim.”
Stephen Sondheim has been the leading composer of musical theater for the past 50 years, and the ever-excellent community cast will open the first performance of “Side by Side” on Thursday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Brubeck Arts Center at Wabash Valley College. WVC and the Wabash Valley Arts Council proudly present the production.
The show also will be performed on Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance on Sunday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m.
The American lyricist and composer has worked on a range of musicals, from “West Side Story” to “Sweeney Todd” and “Into The Woods.” Sondheim, who lives in New York City, was honored as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2015.
A Narrator guides the performances, interjecting stories between the numbers in the two-act variety of Sondheim song scores in “Side By Side.” The Narrator will speak of the 15 songs in Act I and 13 songs in Act II, which concludes with the theater company singing “Side By Side.”
The songs are a mix of well-known favorites from Sondheim’s work as well as some more obscure pieces, or songs that didn’t make it into famous shows. Some of the stories focus on
Sondheim’s life and career, others relate to the shows that the songs come from or set up the moment before the song.
Guest Director Sue Schriber has an excellent production staff for the WVAC production, including Alison Dudley as accompanist; Co-Stage Managers Colette Grigsby and Eric Carroll; Jamey Walston, House Tech; Jim Thread, Assistant Stage Manager; Tosha Baker, House Manager; Abi Anderson and Anna Freeland, crew; Cathy Seaton, Program and Ticket Sales; Louise Acree, Publicity; Katy Head, WVC Lead Custodian, and Jerry Bayne, Performing Arts Coordinator.
The cast members, as recently announced by the Director, include: Amanda Andrews, Chloe Benedict, Bill Berry, Cory Casburn, Danielle Daniels, Kent W. Freeland, Jerry Fromm, Marsha Foshee, Shirley Goodman, Breanna Henson, Carolyn Highhouse, Hollyecho Montgomery, Jessica Moore, Robin Racster, Cynthia Shaw, Nicki Strockbine, Jackie Summers, Kate Summers, and Joe Thompson.
Their performance at WVC celebrates the wit and genius of musical theater’s most influential artist. WVAC Patron Passes will be honored, and patrons’ single tickets are fully transferable, so please share your tickets when you are unable to attend a performance.
For more ticket information, contact Cathy Seaton at [email protected] or by calling 618-263-5124.
