Naomi O'Connell, George Dvorsky and Jim Walton to Star in KISS ME, KATE at Opera North

Opera North SUMMERFEST 2017 announces casting and creative teams for Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate, one of three mainstage productions that run July 29 - August 13 at the Lebanon Opera House in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Evan Pappas will direct, with choreography by Antoinette DiPietropolo, musical direction by Louis Burkot, set design by Michael Schweikardt, lighting by John Bartenstein, and costumes by Jill Tarr.

The cast will feature Broadway veterans George Dvorsky as FrEd Graham, Jim Walton and Bob Walton as the vaudevillian gangsters, and Australian star Naomi O'Connell as Kate. In addition, the cast will include tap virtuoso Luke Hawkins as Bill Calhoun, Katherine McLaughlin as Lois Lane, and Emily Hardman as Hattie.

General Director Evans Haile says, "We are proud that Opera North will be celebrating its 35th season with a stellar line up of International Artists and Broadway creative teams, making Opera North a not to be missed destination."

Performances of Kiss Me, Kate take place Saturday, July 29 at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, August 2 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, August 5 at 7:30 pm, Tuesday, August 8 at 7:30 pm, Thursday, August 10 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, August 12 at 7:30 pm.

Summerfest 2017 - Opera North's 35th season - runs July 8 to August 13, 2017 and features concerts and special events at historic sites around the region including Blow-Me-Down Farm (Cornish, New Hampshire), Sunapee Cruises (Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire), Highland Center for the Arts (Greensboro, Vermont), and The Fells Historic Estate & Gardens (Newbury, New Hampshire).

In addition to Kiss Me, Kate, Opera North mainstage productions will be Puccini's Madama Butterfly, directed by Andreas Hager, with choreography by Kurt Domoney, set design by David L. Arsenault, and costumes by Jack Maisenbach, and Puccini's Madame Butterfly, directed by Russell Treyz and conducted by Filippo Ciabatti, with set designs by David Arsenault and costumes by Jack Maisenbach. Tickets start at $20, with the best seats going for $90. Purchase them online at www.operanorth.org or through the Box Office at (603) 448-0400.

Opera North is the premier professional summer music festival of the Upper Valley. Founded in 1982 and based in Lebanon, NH, it is the only full-time professional opera company serving the tri-state region of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Each summer, Opera North produces a series of concerts at landmark locations around the area and three mainstage productions of operas and classic musical theatre, performed in repertory at Lebanon Opera House. Opera North's Resident Artist program provides young professional opera singers with experience and education to further their careers. Opera North's Education & Outreach Program provides local elementary, middle, and high school students with educational programming through free performances of musical theatre.

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