Luck Be A Lady Tonight: Starlight's 2011 Season In Review

In Late 2010, the announcement was made. Kansas City's Starlight Theatre announced their 2011 Summer Line Up. Some new features included six shows rather than five and a few more self-produced shows. The season would begin with a self-produced production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's THE KING AND I, the second production would be the National Tour of 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL, then continuing with the regional tour of GUYS AND DOLLS. Starlight would then produce Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, followed by MAMMA MIA! and then closing out the season with a self-produced production of XANADU.

With tickets purchased and high expectations, audiences poured into Starlight at the first of June to catch THE KING AND I. The hot weather did not prevent Starlight audiences from seeing Lou Diamond Phillips reprise his Tony Award winning role as The King of Siam in this regal production of The King and I. Playing opposite Phillips was Rachel Bay Jones (from the celebrated revival of HAIR and WOMEN ON THE VERGE...) who played a powerful, independent, and emotionally layered Mrs. Anna. The two leads performed very well and were supported by a wonderful cast of local actors as well as out of towners (Most notably Ann Sanders who had a run as Belle in Disney on Broadway's premiere production BEAUTY AND THE BEAST). This production received glowing reviews as well as standing ovations from the crowd each night. In addition to the evening of classic entertainment, Denton Yockey (Starlight Theatre's President and Executive Producer) revealed he would announce one confirmed show for the 2012 season at each Broadway performance of 2011. This evening he announced that Starlight's stage would host IN THE HEIGHTS, the Tony Award Winning hip hop musical by Lin Manuel Miranda. 

Soon after Starlight's critically acclaimed production of THE KING AND I closed, the national tour of 9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL took the Starlight stage by storm. The evening began with the announcement that the 1st National Tour of THE ADDAMS FAMILY: THE MUSICAL would play at Starlight next July followed by a warning from Yockey not to get any ideas about your boss come Monday morning. The show began with the rousing opening number "Nine to Five" which was penned by Dolly Parton and featured in the 1980 Movie of the same name. Starlight Audiences got an appearance from Dolly via pre-recorded video and digital projection. The night was a truly entertaining one packed with a Grammy Nominated score by Parton and fabulous performances by lead actresses Dee Hoty (playing Violet Newstead), Diana DeGarmo (playing Doralee Rhodes), and Mamie Parris (playing Judy Bernly). While Kansas City critics did not receive the show well, Audiences were on their feet each night and singing along to the infectious tune.

Next up in the line up, was the Broadway Classic GUYS AND DOLLS. Before the show, Starlight audiences were pleased to know that Yockey had included the smash hit Tony Award winning musical, MEMPHIS, in the line up for next season. Yockey also pointed out in his letter in the program that the season has so far been very gender oriented. Mrs. Anna finally received the respect from the King of Siam (and her promised house), Violet, Doralee, and Judy overcame sexism in the office and he added that after tonight we'll see that the Dolls will be holding the upper hand. Unfortunately, Opening night audiences never saw the outcome of this classic tale. A terrible storm cell rolled through causing technical glitches, audiences pouring out, and finally cancellation of the show. But, opening night audiences saw everything from Overture to the tune "Guys and Dolls". The seemed to be a very well rounded production with a talented cast and creative set design. Later in the week, audiences praised choreography in the Havana sequence and rose to their feet for standing ovation after the rousing number "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat".

After the run of GUYS AND DOLLS moved on to the next city, Starlight presented their second self-produced show of the season, CINDERELLA. This production starred Kara Lindsay (Laura in LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE: THE MUSICAL and most recently starring in NEWSIES at the Paper Mill Playhouse) as the heroine Cinderella. Claybourne Elder (BOUNCE and BONNIE AND CLYDE) played Prince Christopher and often making the audience wonder why Cinderella fell head over heels for such a bland guy. The production had a nice set design and overall talented cast including Tina Johnston as the Fairy Godmother, Paula Leggett Chase as the Stepmother, Whit Reichert as King Max and a very talented local actress, Melinda MacDonald as Queen Maisie. Highlights included Linday's rendition of "In My Own Little Corner", the show stopping Act One finale "Impossible", and a very pleasing to the eye ballroom sequence. Also, earlier in the evening Yockey announced that PETER PAN starring Cathy Rigby would fly onto the Starlight stage next summer.

Then MAMMA MIA! danced it's way onto the Starlight stage in all it's heart warming glory. Audiences seem to remember when the tour made a stop during the 2009 season and were very ecstatic to have it back. The evening began with the announcement that Starlight would produced Elton John and Tim Rice's Disney musical AIDA next summer at the new, $400 million Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Starlight Audiences loved the big, fun, theatrical production of MAMMA MIA! and were on their feet for the deliciously fun encore. In fact, Kansas City audiences voted MAMMA MIA! as the favorite production of the year.

Finally, rounding out the Starlight season was the self-produced production of the musical XANADU. Many Kansas Citians were apprehensive about seeing such a flop on stage, but it turned out to be critically acclaimed and well loved by audiences. XANADU was great fun and had audiences roaring the whole way through. Starlight did a great job re-creating the Broadway set design as well as hiring the Original Broadway Choreographer to direct and choreograph as well as hiring actors from the Broadway production and touring company (Including Elizabeth Stanley). This was a great evening on fun and a wonderful way to end the season. While at Starlight for XANADU, audiences learned that rounding out the 2012 season would be LA CAGE AUX FOLLES.

Overall, This season was a winning hand and Kansas City audiences look forward to a fantastic 2012 season. Way to go Starlight, as usual you deserve a standing ovation from Kansas City audiences.

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