Auditions for rock musical "Rent" set for Feb. 3-5

"Rent" cast performs "Seasons of Love" on Broadway on Broadway in 2005

Auditions for the rock musical "Rent" will be held on Sunday, February 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Monday, February 4, 4:30-6:30 p.m., and Tuesday, February 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call-backs will be Wednesday, February 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. All auditions held at the Historic Atlas Theater in downtown Cheyenne

Here's more info from the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players web site:

To audition, we ask that you sing a song from the show "Rent" or another contemporary musical. You may bring your own accompanist or an accompanist will be provided. There will be no cold readings of dialog. We may ask you to sing a song from the show after your initial audition. You will also be learning and performing a short dance. For call-backs, we will be assigning songs from the show "Rent," including duets.  

IMPORTANT!! The Director, Brenda Lyttle, is looking for singing actors who are confident and fearless. "Rent" is an adult show with adult roles, language and situations. The characters must be believable and real. The singing must be strong and confident. This show is set in the Lower East Side of New York City. Racial diversity is crucial. We  strongly encourage singing actors of African-American and Hispanic descent to audition.  

Go to this link for more details: Rent Auditions

Q&A session follows "Evita" performance Nov. 7 at Casper College

A special question and answer session will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 7 following the performance of the fall Casper College musical “Evita.”

The Q & A session will feature the cast and artistic staff  “who will cover questions about the show, its history, and even specific questions to our New York guest artist, actress Lindsie Van Winkle, who is playing the starring role of Eva Peron,” said James Olm, musical theatre coordinator at Casper College.

Tickets for “Evita” will be available to the general public beginning Monday, Oct. 29. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students ages 5 to 18. Tickets can be purchased at the Krampert Theatre Complex box office between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday or by phone at 268-2500.

"Cotton Patch Gospel" on stage in Cheyenne Oct. 12-14 and 19-21

Randy Oestman, our one-time colleague at the Wyoming Arts Council and now a minister at Cheyenne's Vineyard Church, is presenting a musical production, "Cotton Patch Gospel," October 12-14 and 19-21.  

The"Cotton Patch Gospel" as a translation of most of the New Testament by ClarenceJordan, who was a Baptist minister in Georgia. Jordan's goal was to communicate the New Testament in the idiom of the South so that "plain folks" could better understand it. To do this, Jordan, who worked from Greek texts, changed both the setting and the language of the New Testament. For example, John the Baptist conducts baptisms in the Chattahoochee River, the disciple Peter is given a "Yankee"accent, and Jesus is born in Gainesville, Georgia. Also, Jesus makes such statements as "Come to me, all of you who are frustrated and have had a bellyful, and I will give you zest" (as opposed to the Matthew 11:28 verse, traditionally translated from the Greek as "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest").

The musical "Cotton Patch Gospel" was written in 1982, by Atlanta-based actor Tom Key and stage director Russell Treyz.  It was based on Jordan's version of the Gospels of Matthew and John . The popular music songwriter Harry Chapin collaborated with Key and Treyz on the adaptation, which they completed in June 1981, one month before Chapin was killed in an automobile accident. Three months later the musical opened off-Broadway and had a successful run; it has since been performed in numerous venues. 

This local presentation produced by the Cheyenne Vineyard Church includes a combo of guitar, banjo, upright bass, harmonica and lively vocals brought to the stage by Kevin Guille, Pastor Kevin Uhrich, Jerry Gallegos, Bob Fontaine, Brad Eddy and Randy Oestman.  Both Kevins have completed the process of adopting while rehearsing this show! The production's country songs move the characters through the stages of Jesus' earthly ministry, most of which written to have occurred in Georgia. Like Jordan's original, the musical adaptation is intended to offer people a fresh perspective on Jesus's life and provide a modern twist on the Gospel message.

While it is urged that cost of admission be food goods, people who cannot bring food are encouraged to attend this uplifting and lively re-telling of the Gospel. 

People must call 307- 638-8700 to reserve a seat for this production because seats will fill up quickly.

DATES: OCTOBER 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

TIME: 7 PM on 12, 13,19, 20; 2 PM on 14 & 21

COST OF ADMISSION: UNPERISHABLE FOOD, GROCERY GIFT CARDS for the hungry

LOCATION:  CHEYENNE VINEYARD, 1506 THOMES AVENUE, CHEYENNE 

CONTACT:  RANDY OESTMAN, 307-638-8700, roestman01@yahoo.com

Auditions Sept. 11-12 for Lunch Box Lady Musical at LCCC in Cheyenne

Christi Mitchell announces this on Facebook:

"Lunch Box Lady Musical" details!

Auditions for the "Lunch Box Lady Musical," sponsored by Laramie County Community College, will be held Sept. 11 and 12 from 4 to 7 p.m. at LCCC’s Playhouse theater in Cheyenne. Children kindergarten to 7th grade, teenagers and adults are encouraged to audition. Those who audition need only to show up. Auditions will include reading scenes from the musical and singing. 

The "Lunch Box Lady Musical" is based on a children’s book that celebrates kindness, nutrition and creativity. 

Once the show is cast, rehearsals will be held M, T, W, TR at LCCC’s Playhouse Theatre from 4:30 to 6:30 pm starting the third week of Sept. for the following six weeks.

Dress rehearsals and Performances will be held at the Storey Blvd. Auditorium (old administration building): 
Friday, Nov. 2 at 7pm 
Saturday, Nov. 3 at 2pm and 7 pm

Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 pm
Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 pm
Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2pm and 7 pm

For more information, please contact director Christi Mitchell at christimitchellworkshops@gmail.com

Patsy falls to pieces (again) at Snowy Range Summer Theatre June 26-30

News from UW:

Country music legend Patsy Cline comes to life this summer as the Snowy Range Summer Theatre continues the 2012 season with "Always...Patsy Cline."

Presented by the University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance, "Always...Patsy Cline" runs June 26 -30 at 7:30 p.m. on the UW Fine Arts Main Stage. Tickets cost $10 for the public and $7 for students, senior citizens and children over 5. Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more. For tickets and information, call (307) 766-6666 or go online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts .

Written by Ted Swindley and directed by guest artist Charlotte Guyette, this heartfelt, toe-tapping musical tribute first opened in 1993, became a sold-out hit off-Broadway, and is now one of the most-produced musicals in the United States.

"'Always...Patsy Cline' is perfect summer fun," says director Guyette. "It has live music, familiar faces and buckets of quirky humor."

Based on an endearing true story, the show recounts the real-life relationship between Cline and Louise Seger, her No. 1 fan. Seger first heard Cline sing on the "Arthur Godfrey Show" in 1957 and became an immediate and avid fan, constantly hounding the local disc jockey to play Cline's records on the radio.

In 1961, while en route to see Cline perform, Seger happened upon Cline in a Texas honky-tonk, and the two struck up an unlikely friendship. When Cline left for her next show in Dallas, the pair exchanged phone numbers and addresses, although Seger never really expected to hear from Cline again. But soon she received the first of many letters and phone calls from Cline, and the correspondence continued until Cline's untimely death in a plane crash in 1963. The musical's moniker is inspired by Cline's letters to Seger, which were consistently signed "Love ALWAYS ... Patsy Cline."

Filled with more than two dozen unforgettable hits -- including "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "Sweet Dreams" and "Walkin' After Midnight" -- "Always ... Patsy Cline" combines down-home country humor, true emotion, and even some audience participation to celebrate the life and music of one of the most acclaimed vocalists of the 20th century.

"'Always ... Patsy Cline' is Southern hospitality with the voice you love," says Guyette. "It's the Grand Ole Opry right here in our kitchen and on our own back porch."

The production features UW alumna and songstress Lindsey Cozzens as Cline and professor Lou Anne Wright as fan Seger, with UW alumnus Sean Warren Stone providing musical direction. Local musicians Chris Kennison, John Wilhelm, Jack Wallace, Don Austin and Jascha Herdt make up the show's live band.

Photo: "Always...Patsy Cline" runs June 26 -30 at 7:30 p.m. on the UW Fine Arts Main Stage.

Last weekend for "Annie Get Your Gun"

Order tickets online at http://www.cheyennelittletheatre.org/.

Wyoming Tribune-Eagle: "Oklahoma" comes to Cheyenne this weekend

"Oklahoma" comes to Cheyenne this weekend

Details:

Cheyenne’s East High’s spring play, “Oklahoma!” by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein


When: 7 p.m. tonight (Feb. 24) and Saturday (Feb. 25) and 2 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 26)


Where: East High auditorium, 2800 E. Pershing Blvd., Cheyenne


Tickets: $5 for students and seniors, $8 for adults

UW's "A... My Name is Alice" is "a boodle of laughs"

The University of Wyoming's 2011 Snowy Range Summer Theatre season closes with "A ... My Name Is Alice," a bright and lively musical revue that presents a funny, bawdy and insightful kaleidoscope of contemporary women.

Directed by Leigh Selting, "A ... My Name Is Alice" runs at 7:30 nightly July 12-16 inside the Fine Arts Center studio theatre. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens (60 and older) and $5 for students. For tickets, call (307) 766-6666 or go online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts .

Called "a boodle of laughs" (The New York Post) and "delightful" and "so sophisticated" (The New York Times), "A ... My Name Is Alice" is filled with life's ups, downs and in-betweens from a modern woman's perspective.

The five-woman cast takes on multiple roles to explore the many facets of contemporary women's lives through scenes, monologues and songs. They explore the horrors of parent/teacher conferences, the delights of a male strip club and the tragedy of losing a parent. The music ranges from 1960s doo-wop and wistful pop ballads to soul-filled rhythm and blues.

Originally produced by the Women's Project at the American Place Theatre in New York, "A...My Name Is Alice" played a long duration at the Village Gate Off Broadway and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical Revue.

The revue was created by veteran directors Joan Micklin Silver and Julianne Boyd and involved a variety of comedy writers, lyricists and composers who contributed to the songs and sketches.

Photo: Amber McNew, Rebecca Diamond, Caryn Flanagan, Francesca Mintowt-Czyz and Jackie Darnell rehearse a scene from the University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance production  "A ... My Name Is Alice," showing nightly at 7:30 July 12-16 inside the Fine Arts Center studio theatre. (UW Photo)   

Casper Star-Tribune's "Making It" series follows Jim Olm's road to the Off Broadway stage

Anyone interested in a career in musical theatre should read the "Making It" series by Margaret Matray in the Casper Star-Tribune. The series follows Casper College theatre professor Jim Olm in his quest to produce his show "The Magdalene" Off Broadway. Olm has invested many years and a lot of money in the pursuit of his dream.

Jim Olm

The musical is inspired by the Gnostic Gospels, discovered in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945. It follows the story of Mary Magdelene as told in the Gospels of Mary and Thomas which were not included in the Christian Bible. "The Magdelene" is scheduled to run at the Theatre of St. Clement's in New York through Sept. 4. Olm co-wrote the script with J.C. Hanley. The play is directed by Casper College professor Rich Burk with Tony Award-winner Richard Maltby Jr. as creative consultant.

Olm's saga from the germ of an idea to the Off Broadway stage continues through Thursday in the CST.  

Time to cut "Footloose"

This comes from Dana Heying at Cheyenne Little Theatre Players:

It's time to CUT FOOTLOOSE! 

And Cheyenne Little Theatre Players has announced a Student Ticket Special!

For Saturday 2 p.m. matinees ONLY we have reduced the STUDENT/CHILD Ticket Price to only $10!!!

That's right...

Bring a Student/Child to catch this Jelly Shoe Tapping, Big Hair Bopping, Mullet Rocking Musical at a reduced rate!

General Ticket Prices are:
Adults $24
Seniors (60+) $22
Students/Children $18 (Saturday Matinees ONLY $10)

Visit our website @ www.cheyennelittletheatre.org or call the Box Office @ 307-638-6543 9am - 4pm Monday through Friday to book your seats NOW!

This show runs May 13-22
Fridays @ 7:30pm
Saturdays @ 2pm (Student Reduced Matinee) and 7:30pm
Sundays @ 2pm

"Chicago" razzle dazzles UW April 12-17

Broadway's musical sensation "Chicago" will be the University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance's final performance this season. "Chicago" will run at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 through Saturday, April 16 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 17, at the Fine Arts main stage.

Tickets cost $16 for general admission, $13 for senior citizens and $8 for students. Tickets are available at the Wyoming Union and Fine Arts box offices. For tickets and information call (307)766-6666 or go online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts

A send-up of the windy city's gangster era, "Chicago" is a sensational tale of murder, corruption and celebrity, originally featuring Bob Fosse's legendary choreography and show-stopping dance numbers including "All That Jazz," "Razzle Dazzle" and "Cellblock Tango."

Director Leigh Selting is pleased to secure the rights to produce the show.

"As a young actor, I was in a production of Chicago in 1981, after the original production had closed and I've always wanted to direct the piece myself. As the revival of Chicago is still playing on Broadway today, we're quite fortunate to be able to produce the show," Selting says. "I'd inquired after the performance rights for a number of years, and we were finally notified last spring that the University of Wyoming was granted permission to produce the show -- one of very few universities in the country.  It's rare to be able to present a show that is still playing on Broadway."

He said the show is a wonderful challenge for UW musical theatre and dance students. Selting notes that the production presents a unique opportunity for theatre design and technology students to work in a non-realistic setting. "Chicago" makes use of plenty of steel fabrication and the costumes are iconic of the sexy and seductive time and place in Chicago that Fosse made famous in the revival production.

"People should not expect the movie version here, either," Selting adds.  "We're doing the stage version that has since become the longest-running Broadway revival in history."

The UW production is conducted by music faculty Professor Michael Griffith, vocals conducted by musical theatre faculty member Patrick Newell and choreographed by dance faculty member Lawrence Jackson.

"Chicago" contains language and themes that some might find objectionable.

Photo: Noelia Antweiler leads the cast in the University of Wyoming Department of Theatre and Dance production of the Broadway musical sensation "Chicago." (UW Photo)

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" opens tonight at the Historic Atlas Theatre

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” takes place at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne. The play’s music and lyrics are by William Finn from a book by Rachel Sheinkin.

Performance Dates: March 18-20 & 25-27

Cast:

Chip Tolentino/Jesus: Kevin Guille
Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere: Stephanie Medema
Leaf Coneybear/Carl Dad: Jeran Artery
William Barfee: Chris Arneson
Marcy Park: Marcie Smith
Olive Ostrovsky: Kathy Borgaard
Rona Lisa Perretti/Olive’s Mom: Patty Walkley
Vice Principal Douglas Panch: Keith Thomson
Mitch Mahoney/Dan dad/Olive dad: Terry Barbre

Description: A hilarious tale of overachievers’ angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show’s Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Get your tickets at http://www.cheyennelittletheatre.org

Cheyenne Little Theatre Presents The Sound of Music Musical

The Sound of Music

Music by Richard Rodgers

Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Book by Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse

Performance Dates:

September 24-26

September 30-October 3

October 7-10, 2010

Location:

Mary Godfrey Playhouse

2706 E Pershing Blvd, Cheyenne WY 82001

 307.638.6543

       This winner of the 1959 Tony Award for Best Musical is the captivating and timeless story of the Von Trapp family. More than a theatrical experience, The Sound of Music is a cherished memory filled with laughter, tears, and some of the most unforgettable music ever written, including “My Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss,” and “Do Re Mi.”

To purchase tickets: http://cheyennelittletheatre.tix.com/Schedule.asp?OrganizationNumber=2438

The High Plains are alive with "The Sound of Music" auditions

From the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players:

Adult auditions for "The Sound of Music" will be held Tuesday, Aug. 3, 6 p.m., at the Mary Godfrey Playhouse in Cheyenne. Director is Toni Tomei. Choreographer is Russell Rose. Musical Director/Conductor: Dave Kramer

From the Director: Auditions will be held in groups of no more than 10 individuals at a time on-stage and closed to the public. This will allow each actor to have more of a "moment" with the Directors and Choreographer. The Stage Management team will be in the lobby to see that the audition is run smoothly, and answer any questions you may have. Please bring your resume and 8 x 10 photo (if you have one) to attach to the audition sheet that you will fill out. Please note: any current photo will do.

You will be seen in the order that you arrive at the theater.

Audition Requirements: Prepare one standard Broadway show tune; a song from the show is fine. Please no rock opera, no singing to a tape or CD and no accapella. We need to hear you sing with the piano, even if it is Happy Birthday and singing scales. You will only read from the script and sing additional songs if you are invited to callbacks. You may be cut off during your songs if the directors have heard all they need to. This is in the interest of time.

Cast of Characters: If you are auditioning for a specific role, the songs noted below will be sung at callbacks and anyone may be use them for main audition.

Maria Rainer : Lead, to portray age range: 23 - 28, Voice: Soprano
Please prepare: "The Sound of Music", "My Favorite Things" and "An Ordinary Couple"

Captain Georg Von-Trapp: Lead, to portray age range: 38-50, Voice: Baritone. Please prepare: "Edelweiss", "The Sound of Music" and "An Ordinary Couple"

Elsa Schraeder: Supporting, Age: 35-45. Please prepare "How Can Love Survive" and "No Way to Stop It"

Max Detweiler: Supporting, Age: 30-60. Please prepare "How Can Love Survive" and "No Way to Stop It"

The Children : Supporting, Would prefer children to be at least 8 years + to portray ages: 6-16. Please prepare: "The Sound of Music" and "Do Ri Me". The children are: Friedrich - age 14, Louisa - age 13,
Kurt - age 10, Brigitta - age 9, Marta - age 7, Gretl - the youngest.

Leisl: Supporting, to portray age 16 - going on 17. Voice: Mezzo. Must move/dance well. Please prepare: "The Sound of Music" and "I Am Sixteen Going on Seventeen"

Rolf Gruber : Supporting, to portray age Age 17 going on 18, Voice: Tenor. Must move/dance well. Please prepare: "The Sound of Music" and "I Am Sixteen Going on Seventeen"

Mother Abbess : Lead, Age 40 +: Strong Mezzo Soprano. Prepare: "Climb Every Mountain"

Sisters Berthe, Margaretta and Sophia: Supporting, to portray age ranges of 30+, Voice: Mezzo's Prepare: "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria"

Frau Schmidt: Supporting, to portray Age 30+ (This is a non singing part, but will sing with the chorus if needed, non singing actors are welcome to audition for this part)

Franz: Supporting, to portray age 30+ (This is a non-singing part, but will sing with the chorus if needed, non-singing actors are welcome to audition for this part)

Ensemble: Please note that those cast as nuns, and military personnel will be doubling as townspeople, party guests and festival contestants. Everyone must sing even though some of the parts are marked non-singing. We are looking for a wide range of heights and ages for all of these parts.

We are seeking an energetic, talented cast that looks good, sounds great and can fill the house with personality and sound that every director strives for and every audience is thrilled by. Continuity and look of the Von Trapp "family" is also key. Rehearsals begin August 9, starting at 6:30pm, Monday thru Friday. Every attempt will be made to release the children earlier in the evening from each rehearsal they attend. You will not be required to rehearse every night, until closer to opening, so check your schedule against the Master Calendar before you audition. Keep conflicts to a minimum.

No conflicts during Tech Week - Sunday, Sept. 19 (afternoon) thru Wed., Sept. 22

Join Our Mailing List!
Cheyenne Little Theatre Players
PO Box 20087
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003
307-638-6543

Horse Barn celebrates 100th anniversary with musical comedy "A Bag Full of Miracles"

From a SCPR press release:

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Horse Barn, the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site will host the spring production of Tom Northam’s whirlwind musical-comedy, “A Bag Full of Miracles.”

Produced by The Unexpected Company Senior Community Theatre, “A Bag Full of Miracles,” will run April 30 and May 1,2,7,8 and 9. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at the Laramie Plains Museum Carriage House, Eppson Center for Seniors and First Interstate Bank.

The horse barn, designed in 1910 by Laramie's architectural firm Hitchcock & Hitchcock, was one of the first new major construction projects of the University of Wyoming after acquiring the grounds from the former Territorial Prison.

UW adapted the land for use as an experimental stock farm so a majestic horse barn was built for its Percheron draft horses, as well as saddle horses. This impressive barn included a show ring, animal wash stalls, carriage house, grooms' lockers and an office. Eighty years later, in 1990, the horse barn hay loft was converted into a theater.

“The 100-year-old horse barn provides a pleasant ambiance for a unique theatrical experience and we invite all to enjoy this opportunity.” says Deborah Amend, superintendent of the Wyoming Territorial Prison Historic Site.

"A Bag Full of Miracles” centers on Maggie Hill, an unmarried, newly-retired school teacher with a meager pension, and Lady Anne Windesmeer, a recent widow who has been swindled by an unscrupulous lawyer.

Brought together by their common financial straits, the two seniors convert Lady Anne's San Francisco home into a bed and breakfast, which becomes the setting for a cast of characters that bring with them hilarity, intrigue, romance, warmth, and a twisting chain of events that will shake up the audience in more ways than one.

They're also sure to leave the theater humming the memorable songs woven throughout this funny yet sensitive look at senior life.

This production is supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council, through funding from Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes a great nation deserves great art, and through the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site. For more information, contact Susan McGraw 307-745-8352.

The Wyoming Territorial Prison and Horse Barn Theater, is located at 975 Snowy Range Road in Laramie.

Jesus Christ Superstar the Musical in Casper

Jesus Christ Superstar the Musical

Starring Ted Neeley

Live on Stage!

February 1st, 2010

Casper Events Center

Tickets available at Casper Events Center Box

Office at (307) 577-3030 or (800) 442-2256 or

online at http://www.caspereventscenter.com/

"Annie" coming to Casper

The national tour of "Annie" will be coming to Casper on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at the Casper Events Center. Ticket prices are $47.50, $42.50, $37.50 and a $10.00 discount for students 18 and under. Show begins at 7:30 pm. For tickets, go to http://www.caspereventscenter.com/

From the Casper Events Center website:

Leapin' lizards! The timeless tale of Little Orphan Annie is back giving a whole new generation the chance to experience this classic musical about never giving up hope. Boasting one of Broadway's most memorable scores, including "It's the Hard-Knock Life," "Easy Street," "N.Y.C." and the ever-optimistic "Tomorrow," Annie is a delightful theatrical experience for the entire family. Don't miss this all-new production that Variety calls "a winner!"

Pinocchio - Missoula Children's Theatre

Conceived and Written by Jim Caron
Music and Lyrics by Michael McGill and Jim Caron

Saturday, October 3, 2009 4:00 p.m.
in St. Mary's Catholic School Multi-Purpose Room
2200 O'Neil Avenue (doors open at 3:30 p.m.)
enter throgh courtyard doors
One Performance Only

Centennial Singers wraps up season with "Into the Woods" May 22 in Laramie

From a University of Wyoming press release:

After a complete season of tours and travel, the UW Centennial Singers return for their final performance Friday, May 22, at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.

The Centennial Singers will perform "Into the Woods" at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts main stage. Tickets are available at the door and online through www.uwyo.edu/finearts. Prices are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students and children and $25 for the family pack (two adults and up to three children).

"We have performed to more people this year than in the three previous years combined," says Patrick Newell, Centennial Singers director. "The success of ‘Into the Woods' this year has created a renewed interest in the group among students, setting us up for a good season next year."

In the fall, Newell will hold auditions for the 2009-2010 production of the musical "Urinetown." He plans to continue the full-length musical format in future years for Centennial Singers. Incoming freshmen are encouraged to audition, he adds.

"I believe that switching from a review format to producing complete musicals was clearly the path that Centennial Singers needed to take at this point in the life of the group," Newell says. "I am pleased with the success of ‘Into the Woods' and look forward to our future productions."
He adds that those who are already familiar with last fall's production of "Into the Woods," expect some surprises for the final performance.

"A few of the characters have been taken on by different actors within the group, who promise to light up the stage in a whole new way," Newell says.

FMI: http://www.uwyo.edu/singers/or call Newell at (307) 766-3076.

Photo: Centennial Singers members Kayla O'Keefe and Lauren Shultz perform a scene from "Into the Woods," showing Friday at 7:30 p.m. on the Fine Arts Center main stage. (Don Turner Photo)

"Night & Day" shows for "Cole" in Sheridan

The WYO Theater and the Sheridan Civic Theatre have teamed up for this production:

“Cole,” devised by Benny Green and Alan Strachan and directed by Kathy McNickle and Rebecca Leibinger, will be on stage at the WYO Theater in Sheridan Thursday-Sunday, April 16-19. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“Cole” is described as “a fresh musical about the King of Musicals, Cole Porter. Green and Strachan have cleverly put together most of Cole's hit tunes with a narration that tells the story of his life, from Yale to Paris to Broadway and Hollywood. Includes such Porter standards as Anything Goes, I Love Paris, De-Lovely, Love for Sale, Night and Day and I Get a Kick Out of You."

For tickets, go to http://www.wyotheater.com/tickets.html