Totem Pole Playhouse to Present FOREVER PLAID

Totem Pole Playhouse, Pennsylvania's premiere summer theatre located in Caledonia State Park between Gettysburg and Chambersburg, PA, presents the return of one of the most successful musicals in playhouse's 66-year history, Forever Plaid, running from June 17 through July 3. This all-new production is directed and choreographed by Christine O'Grady, who choreographed Totem Pole's critically-acclaimed production, Shenandoah, last season and audience favorite, Godspell, the previous summer. Ms. O'Grady has cast four current students from the prestigious Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM), Louis Griffin, Derek Kastner, Stavros Koumbaros, and Gabe Wrobel as the 'Four Plaids' - a four-part close harmony singing group in the tradition of the Four Freshman, the Four Lads, the Four Aces, and the Hi-Lo's. The show features over 20 hit songs from the 1950s including such classics as: "Three Coins in the Fountain," "Heart and Soul," "Moments to Remember," "Perfidia," and "Love is a Many Splendored Thing." The show, which is being produced by Theatre A Go-Go, Inc., is sponsored by Edward Jones and Richards Orthopaedic Center. Franklin County Visitors Bureau serves as the sponsor for the 2016 season.

Part of the University of Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music is the oldest Musical Theatre training program in the country and was the first of its kind. It is widely recognized for its "triple-threat" approach to training and many of its graduates are following successful careers as performers and creative artists in every facet of the entertainment industry. CCM was recently named the #1 musical theatre training program in the country, "at the very top of the list for Best Musical Theatre Colleges for Broadway Success."

"This past year a survey was done counting the number of alumni from various college and university with Musical Theatre training programs across the country and CCM had the most graduates working in Broadway shows than any other." said Totem Pole's Producing Artistic Director Rowan Joseph. "We are very pleased to have four current students from CCM starring in our all-new production of Forever Plaid."

One of the original cast members from the Off-Broadway production and the subsequent 2009 movie version of the musical, David Engel, starred with TV legend Loretta Swit from "M*A*S*H" in Totem Pole's first production of the season, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. "One of my objectives since coming to Totem Pole has been to raise the bar on the productions we present and having David, Darren, and Christine working together with these four amazingly talented young performers certainly will be doing that with this production." offered Joseph. "Having one of the original 'Plaids' here at Totem Pole offering us valuable insights and working with our cast has been a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us," said Darren Server, who appeared in the musical ten years ago at the playhouse and who is serving as the musical director and on-stage accompanist for the new production. "He even taught the actor recreating his role how to literally eat fire live on stage, which was part of the original production but one of the many elements that we have never had at Totem Pole in past productions."

Forever Plaid tells the fictional tale of four guys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie) who discovered they shared a love for music, and get together to become their idols - The Four Freshman, The Hi-Lo's and The Crew Cuts. On the way to their first big singing engagement, their career quickly ends when the car they are riding in is broadsided, killing them instantly. It is at the moment when their careers and lives end, that the story of Forever Plaid begins. The 'Plaids' return from above singing in close harmony and executing their charmingly outlandish choreography with over-zealous precision. Forever Plaid has been a success since its first premiere Off-Broadway in 1989, offering a program of beloved songs and delightful patter that keeps audiences rolling in the aisles when they're not humming along to some of the great nostalgic pop hits of the 1950s.

The production opens Saturday, June 18 at 8 p.m. with an audience invited reception with the cast afterwards. The show will run through July 3rd. Tickets range from $30 to $50 with matinee performances Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2 p.m. and evening performances Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Totem Pole will also continue to offer two special $20.00 preview performances for the show on Friday, June 17 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 18 at 2 p.m. with all seats general admission.

Tickets for all performances can be purchased at www.TotemPolePlayhouse.org or by calling the Totem Pole Playhouse box office at (888) 805-7056.

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