Studio West Productions located in West Forsyth High School will open its 2009 season with the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical comedy whodunit Curtains and Hush Little Celia Don’t Say a Word...
Studio West Productions located in West Forsyth High School will open its 2009 season with the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical comedy whodunit Curtains and Hush Little Celia Don’t Say a Word.
Curtians book by Rupert Holmes, lyrics by Fred Ebb, music by John Kander, and additional lyrics by Kander and Holmes will be under the direction of Eric Gray, and choreographed by Whitney Hanes, Curtains will have its Georgia Premier October 15, 16 and 17 at 7:30 and October 18, 2009 at 3:00 pm.
Featuring one of the last scores by the legendary Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Kander and Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret) and a book by multiple Tony Award-winner Rupert Holmes (The Mystery of Edwin Drood), Curtains is set in 1959 backstage at Boston’s Colonial Theatre during the pre-Broadway tryout of a new musical. When the hapless leading lady is murdered on opening night during the curtain call, Lt. Frank Cioffi is called in to investigate and the entire company and creative team become suspects. But the lure of the theater proves irresistible and after an unexpected romance blooms for the stage-struck detective, he finds himself just as drawn toward making the show a hit as he is in solving the murder. What unfolds becomes not only a “whodunit” murder mystery, but also a fun, witty and tuneful musical within a musical, sure to delight audiences of all ages. Filled with rousing show stopping tunes and dancing galore, Curtains promises to be hit.
Curtains opened on Broadway on March 22, 2007 and was nominated for eight 2007 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score. William Goldman of Variety called Curtains "An insanely funny evening!” while Michael Kuchwara of the Associated Press called it "Musical Comedy Heaven!"
The talented cast of Curtains includes Evan Judway (Lieutenant Frank Cioffi); Sarah Loftus (Carmen Bernstein); Emily Diamond (Georgia Hendricks); Mitchell Jones (Aaron Fox); Madison Fuller (Niki Harris); Matthew Salvatore (Christopher Belling); Samuel Cheeseman (Daryl Grady); Cassi Ciesla (Johnnie Harmon); Connor Wright (Oscar Shapiro); Curtis Stallings (Randy Dexter); Karl Bos ( Harv Petry ); Marshal Foster (Bobby Pepper); Tina Shaw (Bambi Bernet); Michael Maske (Sidney Bernstein); Kelsey Orechwa (Jessica Cranshaw); Emily Farlow (Mona Page); and Briana Richel (Roberta Wooster) plus another twenty dancers and vocalist.
Hush Little Celia written by Joseph Wallace
Celia does not speak. Her teachers want to know why. Her father is angry with her. Her psychologist wants to help her. However, fellow student Todd only wants to get close to her. Through persistence, bad poetry, and a bizarre audition for a production of Romeo & Juliet, he does. A gem of a play about love, psychology, and what happens to kids when they go unheard. The honesty of this play and the manner in which the characters have been brought to life will move audience and participants in a most profound way. “A marvelous play - every single character is a gem.”
Hush Little Celia is performed around the country as a competition piece in most states leaving audiences with a sense of contentment and warmth. Some of the characters in the production are Samuel Cheeseman ( Todd ); Anna Harris ( Celia ); Catherine Bowlin
( Dr. Griffin ); Stephan Dehaan ( Dr. Connors ); Kayla Brown ( Sister Rose ); Kelly Hicks ( Sister June ); Brad Higgins ( Mr. Eldon ); Marshal Mills ( Father ); Christin Holtzclaw ( Mother ) along side another fourteen ensemble members.
Stage Management will be lead by Arlie Martin (lights ); Christine D’Onghia ( Sound ); Kyle Lotze ( Stage Manager ); Jesse Baker ( House Management ).
Over 80 students are involved with the two shows that will run together the nights of October 15-17 at 7:30 pm and on Sunday October 18th at 3:00 pm.
Curtains
Hush Little Celia Don’t Say a Word is presented with permission from Baker’s Plays in Hollywood, Ca. is presented through special arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide in New York, NY.