Barn Theatre Premiere Of SUNSET BOULEVARD Set for 8/23

Old Hollywood glamour will come alive in the Barn Theatre premiere production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's SUNSET BOULEVARD. Popular daytime television star Kim Zimmer will star as iconic silent film star Norma Desmond!

SUNSET BOULEVARD follows the story of legendary silent film star Norma Desmond (Kim Zimmer), her relationship with young writer Joe Gillis, played by Barn leading man Eric Parker, and her ever devoted servant, Max, played by Barn favorite Roy Brown. A young ambitious female reporter, Betty Schaeffer, played by first year apprentice Elyse Moon, enters the picture, and sparks fly in this tale of love, lust, and revenge.

Sunset Boulevard thrills with a stunning Andrew Lloyd Webber score including "With One Look," "As If We Never Said Goodbye," "Perfect Year," as well as the title song "Sunset Boulevard." SUNSET BOULEVARD is a lush romantic tragedy that promises to be the musical event of the season!

SUNSET BOULEVARD marks Zimmer's eighth appearance at the Barn. She has starred in Gypsy, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Jake's Women, and opposite Tom Wopat in The Rainmaker in 1993. She also joined the Barn company for Damn Yankees and Lost in Yonkers in 1994, Shirley Valentine in 1996, and Blood Brothers in 1998. Zimmer's portrayal of Reva Shayne on Guiding Light (opposite Barnie Robert Newman's "Josh") earned her four Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Leading actress in 1985, 1987, 1990, and 2005 as well as the Soap Opera Digest Award in 2000 for Outstanding Lead Actress. Currently, daytime drama lovers can find her resurrecting her role of Echo DiSavoy on One Life to Live.

SUNSET BOULEVARD is produced by Brendan Ragotzy and directed by Hans Friedrichs. Michael Wilson Morgan is the Costume Designer. Scenic Design is by Steven Lee Burright. Musical Direction is by John Jay Espino and Choreography is by Jamey Grisham. Garrylee McCormick is the Hair/Wig Designer. Lighting Design is by Jenny Nicholas and Properties are by Amy Harpenau. Sam Silva is the Sound Designer. Technical Direction is by Fred Gillette.

SUNSET BLVD plays August 23 - September 4. Performance are Tuesday through Saturday at 8:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday at 5:00 PM. Enjoy refreshments in The Rehearsal Shed Lounge with friends before, during intermission and after the show. Enjoy a light snack while being entertained by the free cabaret-style show in the Rehearsal Shed Lounge after the main stage performance.
The Barn Theatre is located on M-96, west of Augusta. Tickets are $34.00 for all performances, and Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted. Group rates available! The Box Office is open daily 10:00 am-10:00 pm. For tickets or more information call (269) 731-4121. www.barntheatre.com.

Kim Zimmer, Norma Desmond
Sunset Blvd marks Zimmer's 8th appearance at The Barn. Highlights here include Gypsy, Blood Brothers, Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Rainmaker and Shirley Valentine, directed by husband A.C Weary whom she will be married to for 30 years as of August 29th. Zimmer has appeared on numerous television shows and feature films but she's probably best known for her role as Reva Shayne on Guiding Light where she received 4 Outstanding Lead Actress Emmy Awards. She now finds herself resurrecting her role of Echo on A.B.C's One Life To Live. New York and Regional theatre appearances include Nora Ephrons' Love, Loss And What I Wore Off-Broadway this past winter and touring in "Curtains!" with T.V husband Robert Newman this past spring. Her memoir "I'm Just Sayin" released in early August, made the New York Times Bestseller list. Besides her husband A.C, Kim joyously shares her life with her three children Rachel, Max, Jake and their 80 lb. lap dog Emma. You can keep tabs on Ms. Zimmer at www.kimzimmer.net.

ERIC PARKER, Joe Gillis
After 17 seasons and 100 productions, every Barn summer is still magical, and Eric is overjoyed for the Barn's revival. His favorite Augusta credits include Jean Valjean in LES MISERABLES, Tito in LEND ME A TENOR, Lloyd in GUYS ON ICE, Roger in RENT, Roger DeBris in THE PRODUCERS, Jerry in THE FULL MONTY, Remnar in all three stagings of ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT, Rocky or Eddie (most recently Riff-Raff) in almost all our runs of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, Judas in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Freddie in CHESS, Pharaoh in JOSEPH..., Cable in SOUTH PACIFIC, Jimmy Powers in CITY OF ANGELS, and Che in EVITA, a role that introduced Eric to Chicago audiences in an award-winning production at Drury Lane Oakbrook. His career has continued there with a variety of credits in almost a dozen TYA and mainstage productions. Regional: Sebastian in THE THING ABOUT MEN, Henrik in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Miles in A FUNNY THING... FORUM, Jesus in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, and Claude in HAIR (European Tour.) As a director, Eric has staged well-received Barn productions of WEST SIDE STORY, JOSEPH..., and DON'T DRINK THE WATER as well as two hit productions of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW and this spring's RING OF FIRE at the Croswell Opera House in his hometown of Adrian. Eric studied at the California campus of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and at Adrian's Siena Heights University. Eric spent this past winter playing a gangster at Tommy Gun's Garage in Chicago's South Loop and directing for the Miller College Children's Theatre Project's recent collaboration with the Barn Theatre School. His movie and television credits include Barn Films' FISH MICH, GUIDING LIGHT, recent History Channel gangster shows, and several local ads for Behavioral Health Resources and Summit Pointe (a series of spots featuring Eric is currently airing.) On our offstage staff, Eric helps oversee maintenance of the Barn's physical plant and directs our popular Bar Shows.

ROY BROWN, Max
Roy is pleased to mark his third season as an Equity resident. Roy's memorable Barn roles include Renfield in DRACULA, a role he recently reprised in New York, Stewpot in SOUTH PACIFIC, Lefou in BEAUTY IN THE BEAST, Harry the Horse in GUYS AND DOLLS, Billy in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, Smudge in FOREVER PLAID, Sister Amnesia in NUNSESE A-MEN (a role also played by his wife, Barnie Emily May Smith in 2007), and that crazy Yooper, da Jimmer in ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT. You may have also seen Roy performing locally at the Kalamazoo Civic, Marshall Civic Players and Bellevue Village Players. Roy's film resume includes the indie flicks DEREK'S DREAM and THE BEST MUSICAL EVER MADE (FOR UNDER 10 GRAND). Roy and his lovely wife Emily live in NYC, where he studied voice with Steve Sweetland and attends acting classes at the Scott Freeman Studio. In addition to his acting duties Roy helps oversee maintenance of the physical plant and grounds here at the Barn.

ELYSE MOON, Betty Schaeffer
Elyse is so thrilled for this amazing opportunity! She is a BFA Musical Theatre Major at Oakland University in Rochester, MI where she has just completed her Junior year. She has been featured as Violet in VIOLET (for which she received an Irene Ryan Nomination for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival), Beth March in LITTLE WOMEN, u/s Holga in Arthur Miller's AFTER THE FALL, Kate in Lippa's THE WILD PARTY, and ensemble in BELLS ARE RINGING! Some of her favorite roles have been Sheila Franklin in HAIR and Eve in CHILDREN OF EDEN. She would like to thank everyone at the Barn for this wonderful experience and her family for their constant love and support!

JAMEY GRISHAM, Artie
Jamey is beyond thrilled to be returning to the Barn for its 2011 Season. A Member of the Apprentice Company from 2005-2007, he held such roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776, Brad in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, Daniel in SEVEN BRIDE FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, Ethan in THE FULL MONTY, and L.A in GYPSY (starring Kim Zimmer). He also served as Bar Show Musical Director in 2006 and 2007. Other recent theatre credits include the following-Trinity Repertory Company: Mordred, CAMELOT; Valentine/Musical Director, TWELFTH NIGHT; Lyric Opera of Chicago: Guillot, EUGENE ONEGIN (starring Dmitri Hvorostovsky); THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (starring Nathan Gunn), Chicago Humanities Festival: Harold Arlen, SONGS OF OUR TIME (starring Andrea Marcovicci); Brown/Trinity Rep: Eugene Gant, LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL; Valene Connor, THE LONESOME WEST; Suzy, THE HOT L BALTIMORE; Sky, VIEUX CARRÉ; Crook-Fingered Jake, THE THREEPENNY OPERA. As a dancer and choreographer, Jamey has apprenticed and performed at The Joffrey Ballet School, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Lou Conte Dance Chicago, Alabama Ballet, Workhorse Theatre Ensemble, and Trinity Repertory Company. He also just completed the World Premiere of the dance piece Of Human Bondage with choreography by Danny Mefford (BLOODY, BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON) and music by Michael John LaChiusa (THE WILD PARTY). Training: Roosevelt University (BFA), Brown University (MFA, Stephen Sondheim Fellow). "At least, choose an unimportant day... It will be important enough," -Our Town.

CHARLIE KING, Cecil B. DeMille
Charlie is pleased as punch to return to the Barn for its revival. He was an apprentice from '91-'94, where he played such roles as Big Six in CITY OF ANGELS, Big Jule in GUYS AND DOLLS, and Big Apostle in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Among his favorite roles were Brad in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, Earthquake McGoon in LIL' ABNER, The Narrator in THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, and Dirty Dave Rudabaugh in the world premiere of BILLY THE KID. Charlie was delighted to add his banjo, mandolin, and harmonica to the Barn's 2009 production of BIG RIVER. He has performed in a multitude of Comedy Clubs with fellow Barnie Lance Barber; toured with Barn alum Stephen Lynch, as well as the Texas post-modern jugband The Asylum Street Spankers. He has appeared on The Bob And Tom Show, AMERICA'S GOT TALENT, and AMERICAN IDOL, playing lap steel for AI's 2009 runner-up, Crystal Bowersox. When not at the Barn this summer, Charlie has also been touring with Miss Bowersox.

 

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