Geva Theatre Center presents THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES

The girls with big skirts, big voices and big dreams are back with another musical trip down memory lane! Following last year's production of The Marvelous Wonderettes, Geva Theatre Center presents The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns. Written and created by Roger Bean with vocal and musical arrangements by Michael Borth, The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns is directed by Melissa Rain Anderson with musical direction by Don Kot and will be performed in the Fielding Stage from December 7 to December 24.

We're back in 1958, and it's time for the Wonderettes to graduate in this delightful sequel to last season's hit! Join Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy as they sing about their final year in high school, celebrate and prepare for their next step toward a bright future. Act Two zooms ahead to 1968, where the girls celebrate Missy's marriage to Mr. Lee! Featuring "Rock Around the Clock," "At the Hop," "Dancing in the Street," "River Deep, Mountain High" and 25 more hits, The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns will have you cheering for more!

The Marvelous Wonderettes series pays homage to the Songleader Squads of the 50s and 60s. In 1998 Roger Bean created a one-act musical, The Marvelous Wonderettes. The show was quickly developed into a full, two-act musical and has been produced at theatres nationwide including a two-year run at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles where it garnered Ovation Award nominations and awards, including the 2007 award for Best Musical. In 2008 it opened Off-Broadway at The Westside Theatre in New York City where it ran until 2010. The original Off-Broadway cast recording was released in 2008. The success of the original The Marvelous Wonderettes produced three sequels: The Marvelous Wonderettes: Winter Wonderettes; The Marvelous Wonderettes: Dream On and The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns. The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns premiered at Laguna Playhouse in 2012. Original cast recordings are available of all three sequels.

Geva's production of The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns features Audra Cramer as Missy, Emelia Faith Thompson as Cindy Lou, Christina Stroup as Betty Jean and Ally Young Price as Suzy.

The Marvelous Wonderettes: Caps and Gowns is directed by Melissa Rain Anderson (Geva productions of In the Heights, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Monty Python's Spamalot! and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) with musical direction by Don Kot. The design team includes Sam Hoderlein (scenic designer), Janice Ferger (costume designer), Rob Denton (lighting designer) and Ian Hildreth (sound designer).

Founded in 1972, Geva Theatre Center is a not-for-profit, professional theatre company dedicated to creating and producing professional theatre productions, programs and services of a national standard. As Rochester's leading professional theatre, Geva Theatre Center is the most attended regional theatre in New York State, and one of the 25 most subscribed in the country, serving up to 160,000 patrons annually, including more than 16,000 students.

The 522-seat Elaine P. Wilson Stage is home to a wide variety of performances, from musicals to American and world classics. The 180-seat Ron & Donna Fielding Stage is home to Geva's own series of contemporary drama, comedy and musical theatre; Geva Comedy Improv; Geva's New Play Reading Series and the Hornets' Nest - an innovative play-reading series facilitating community-wide discussion on controversial topics. In addition, the Fielding Stage hosts visiting companies of both local and international renown.

Geva Theatre Center offers a wide variety of educational, outreach and literary programs, nurturing audiences and artists alike. Since 1995, the organization has been under the artistic direction of Mark Cuddy.

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