Conservatory Theatre Company to Stage THE BOY FRIEND, 2/27-3/1

Welcome to the Roaring Twenties, a period of economic prosperity, and social and cultural change, when jazz flourished and prohibition was legal but no one paid attention.

Point Park University's Conservatory Theatre Company presents Sandy Wilson's popular 1920s musical spoof, The Boy Friend, in the Rockwell Theatre at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave.

Directed by Jack Allison and choreographed by Point Park alum and former Rockette, Eileen Grace, The Boy Friend previews Feb. 26. Please note, due to Point Park's spring break, The Boy Friend runs Feb. 27 - March 1, and March 12-15. Performances will be at 8 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets range from $18 to $20 and can be purchased by calling the Pittsburgh Playhouse box office at 412.392.8000, or at www.pittsburghplayhouse.com.

The original production opened in London in 1954 and ran for 2,078 performances. When it reopened in New York, it marked Julie Andrews' Broadway debut. It has been revived both in London and New York. A 1971 film version was directed by Ken Russell and starred Twiggy as Polly Browne.

The Conservatory Theatre Company production features scenic design by Michael Thomas Essad, costumes by Michael Montgomery, lighting by Andrew David Ostrowski, and sound by Steve Shapiro. Camille Villalpando Rolla is the music director, and Paul Reynolds is the dialect coach. Ryan Looke is stage manager.

The Boy Friend marks director Jack Allison's 11th production with the Conservatory Theatre Company. He has directed at most of the major regional theatres in the United States, Canada, and Europe, such as the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, the Cincinnati Opera, the North Shore Music Theatre in Massachusetts, Ogonquit Playhouse in Maine, Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, and Sacramento Music Theatre, among many others. As resident director of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, he directed more than 36 productions. He recently returned to the CLO to direct Fiddler On The Roof, and A Grand Night For Singing at the CLO Cabaret. His New York credits include Life is Like a Musical Comedy and Words and Music, both original musicals produced by the famed Manhattan Theatre Club, All My Sons at the TA-DA Theatre Off-Broadway, and two premieres by Lanford Wilson, SA-HURT? and The Bottle Harp, both at the Circle Repertory Company. In Europe, he staged A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Cabaret.

Eileen Grace performed as a Rockette for eight years and was director of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular touring productions for nine years. Her other directing and choreography credits include Singin' in the Rain, On Your Toes, Guys and Dolls, My One And Only, Will Rogers Follies, Crazy For You, Cabaret, Anything Goes, 42nd Street, Annie Get Your Gun (starring Andrea McArdle), Fiddler on the Roof, and Beauty and the Beast. She served as associate producer for the theatre company Reagle Music Theatre of Boston for three years and currently serves as director for the annual Bradley Awards at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Eileen was in the Broadway casts of 42nd Street, Will Rogers Follies (original cast member and dance captain) and in the international tour of My One And Only (with Tommy Tune).

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