Photos: First Look at Rodgers & Hammerstein's STATE FAIR At The Arrow Rock Lyceum

State Fair is the only Rodgers & Hammerstein musical written directly for the silver screen, It was later adapted for the Broadway stage and is now delighting audiences at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre through July 30! Set against the colorful backdrop of an American heartland tradition, State Fair travels with the Frake family as they leave behind the routine of the farm for three days of adventure at the annual Iowa State Fair. Mom and Pop have their hearts set on blue ribbons, while their children, Margy and Wayne, find romance and heartbreak on the midway. Set to the magical strains of an Academy Award-winning score and augmented by other titles from the Rodgers and Hammerstein songbook, State Fair is the kind of warm-hearted family entertainment only Rodgers & Hammerstein could deliver!

Get a first look at photos below!

Ian Knauer returns to the show in which he made his Broadway debut, this time as patriarch Abel Frake. Ian’s other Broadway credits include roles in Anastasia, Dames at Sea, Mamma Mia!, and By Jeeves. He has also appeared in shows on the West End, Off-Broadway, and in 10 national/international tours, plus numerous regional productions. Jean McCormick plays loving wife and mother Melissa Frake. Jean was previously seen at The Lyceum in Our Town, Murder on the Orient Express, Sister Act, All Shook Up, 9 To 5, and Cinderella. She has appeared in productions across the country and has released an albumette of old-time favorites called Have Your Cake and Swing It Too.

The actors playing the Frake children have already won fans in Arrow Rock this summer. Sarah Ellis (Margy Frake) appears in her second Lyceum production this season, having just wrapped up her work in Beautiful. She has appeared in theatre, film, commercials, and with symphonies, and she was on the first national tour of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Alexander Ríos (Wayne Frake) is performing in his third Lyceum production this season. His recent credits include Off-Broadway roles in Hazing U and Pip’s Island, and the Norwegian Cruise Line production of Footloose.

Two Lyceum newcomers play characters who turn up the romance for young Wayne and Margy Frake. Jessica Wockenfuss portrays the glamorous Emily Arden. She has been seen in NY City Center Encores productions of Hey, Look Me Over! and Me and My Girl, and in national tours of Jersey Boys, White Christmas, and Spamalot. Jeremy Benton plays reporter Pat Gilbert. He appeared on Broadway in 42nd Street, in the National Tours of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and Anything Goes; and Off-Broadway in Cagney and Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood.

Rounding out the talented ensemble is a versatile group of performers, many of whom take on multiple roles in the production. They include Michael Brennan, Zelda Carmen, Berlin Lee Charles, Sade Crosby, Lauren Dattis, Brach Drew, Ray Gleaves, Quin Gresham, Kyle Jack, Laila Lovelady, Ken Martinez, Louisa Mauzé, Nollie Moore, Monica Senecal Palmer, Sarah Rose, Garrett Shin, Kristin Tagg, and Frederick Webb, Jr.

State Fair is directed by Drew Humphrey, who previously directed and choreographed the Lyceum’s 2021 production of Singin' in the Rain. His choreography for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas received a Long Island ‘Encore’ Theater Award for Best Choreography. Drew is a founder and the artistic director of a new theatre company in Tucson, Arizona, called Saguaro City Music Theatre.

The production team also includes Choreographer Mandy Modic, Music Director Jesse Fry, Scenic Designer Dani Calandro, Costume Designer Garth Dunbar, Lighting Designer Kaitlyn Breen, Sound Designer Jon Robertson, Production Stage Manager Tony Dearing, and Assistant Stage Manager Lauren Young. Casting is by The Casting Collaborative, Jason Styres, CSA.

Single tickets for State Fair are $49 for adults, with senior, student/child, and public safety discounts available. Show dates are July 21-30. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and matinees begin at 2 p.m. For tickets, visit LyceumTheatre.org or call 660-837-3311.

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