Emily Skinner, Kyle Taylor Parker & More Set for Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma's 2016 Summer Season

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma announces casting and production teams for its annual summer shows, featuring new and returning national talent, including Emily Skinner, Adam Heller, Sandra Mae Frank, Trista Dollison, Kyle Taylor Parker, Jerry Jay Cranford, Martin Burke, David Coffee, Kristina Love, Monte Riegel Wheeler, Casey ElizaBeth Gill, and more. All four productions- DREAMGIRLS, THE WIZARD OF OZ, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE - will perform at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City.

"The casts and creative teams we have assembled together from around the world are exceptional this summer," said Michael Baron, Lyric's producing artistic director. "I'm excited to work again with scenic designer Adam Koch on a new production of DREAMGIRLS, and work with both hearing and deaf actors on a new production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF with Adam Heller as Tevye. "

First is the all-new production of DREAMGIRLS, featuring a set by Adam Koch and costumes by Jeffrey Meek. Follow the journey of the Dreams to the top of the R&B charts, and the trials of stardom, in this musical inspired by The Supremes! Broadway's Trista Dollison (THE LION KING) will star as Effie White; she's joined by Anna Uzele as Deena Jones and Kristina Love as Lorrell Robinson. Love has been seen in Lyric's productions of OLIVER (Bet) and THE WHO'S TOMMY (Acid Queen); she's recently been with the cast of Disney's ALADDIN THE MUSICAL playing in Hamburg, Germany. Kyle Taylor Parker, most recently seen on Broadway in KINKY BOOTS as Lola, will play James Thunder Early. DREAMGIRLS will run June 28 through July 2. Michael Baron will direct, Lyn Cramer will choreograph, and Andrew Bryan will music direct this production.
Audiences will journey to the Emerald City with Lyric in THE WIZARD OF OZ, running July 12 through 16. Oklahoma's own Arden Walker (Lyric's THE FANTASTICKS, LES MISERABLES) will play Dorothy. Melissa Griffith, who was seen in Lyric's productions of MARY POPPINS (Mrs. Banks) and LYRIC'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Belle), will play Glinda the Good Witch. Renee Anderson will play Miss Gulch and the Wicked Witch of the West. Anderson has been seen in Lyric's productions of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (Columbia, Magenta), and XANADU (Calliope). Also returning to Lyric are David Coffee as Professor Marvel/The Wizard, Jerry Jay Cranford as the Cowardly Lion. 28 local children will greet Dorothy to Oz as the Munchkins. Ashley Wells will direct, Matthew Sipress will choreograph, and David Andrews Rogers will music direct.

Celebrate tradition and family with the classic FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. The musical follows Tevye's family as his daughters embark on lives far from the home they love. This production will feature two deaf performers- Broadway's Sandra Mae Frank (SPRING AWAKENING) and Christopher Tester- as members of the cast. Each performance will be fully translated into American Sign Language. Teyve will be played by Adam Heller. Heller was seen in Lyric's production of TRIANGLE and CALL ME MADAM; his Broadway credits include IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU, ELF THE MUSICAL, and VICTOR/VICTORIA. Michael Baron directs, Brian J Marcum choreographs, and David Andrews Rogers music directs this production. A new scenic design by Kimberly Powers and costumes designed by Jeffrey Meek have been created for this production.

Closing Lyric's summer at the Civic Center is the comedic romp, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. The show celebrates why we love going to the theater- to be entertained. With rogue gangsters, comic asides, and larger than life leading ladies, it will delight audiences. Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner will play the title character; Skinner has been seen in Lyric's productions of BIG FISH (Sandra), DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID (Ursula), and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (Charlotte Malcolm). Martin Burke (Lyric's THE ODD COUPLE) will play the Man in Chair; Casey ElizaBeth Gill will play Janet Van De Graff, and Monte Riegel Wheeler will play Aldolpho. Lyn Cramer will direct and choreograph the show; David Andrews Rogers will music direct.

Baron has assembled an incredible production team for these four shows. Lyric's resident costume designer Jeffrey Meek will celebrate his 100th Lyric production with DREAMGIRLS; he will also design costumes for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. Other production members include lighting designs by Helena Kuukka and properties design by Courtney Strong. Julie Meyer will stage manage all four productions.

Season and single tickets are on sale now, and start at $29. Purchase tickets by visiting Lyric's box office at 1727 NW 16th Street, calling (405) 524-9312 or visiting LyricTheatreOKC.com.

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