GREENWILLOW Plays 2 Night Run at Lakewood Theatre Company, 4/22-23

The Lost Treasures Collection, a new series of rarely performed musical gems presented in concert/cabaret version on Lakewood Theatre Company's Side Door stage, presents its third and final offering this season with the musical Greenwillow. Food, wine and other beverages will be available for purchase before and during the show.

The production will be performed for two nights only, Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 7:00 PM. The show is presented script-in-hand, with minimal staging. No sets, no props (free from the usual trappings of a fully staged production).

Based on the B.J. Chute novel of the same name, Greenwillow is a 1960 musical with a book by Lesser Samuels and Frank Loesser and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The production is directed by Ron Daum and Rob Fishel is musical director. Kurt Herman is the production's lighting designer and Kay Vega is the producer.

The Story: In the magical town of Greenwillow, a spell has been placed in which the eldest of the Briggs men always must obey the "call to wander." Gideon (Matt Brown), the eldest of this generation of Briggs men, loves his girlfriend, Dorrie (Louise Stinson), and would like nothing better than to settle down with her. With the help of Reverend Birdsong (Kirby Griffin), Gideon's Gramma (Chrisse Roccaro) and true love, Gideon is able to break the curse and stay with Dorrie in Greenwillow.

The cast also features notable Portland artists David Maier, Ron Hansen and Chrissy Kelly-Pettit.

Ticket prices are $18 for all seats. Contact the Lakewood Theatre Box Office at (503) 635-3901 or order online at www.lakewood-center.org Lakewood Theatre Company's Side Door Stage is located in the Community Meeting Room at Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State Street in Lake Oswego.

History of the Play:
Following a pre-Broadway run at Philadelphia's Shubert Theatre, the production, directed by George Roy Hill and choreographed by Joe Layton, opened on March 8, 1960 at the Alvin Theatre in New York where it ran for only 97 performances. The cast included Anthony Perkins, Cecil Kellaway, Pert Kelton, Ellen McCown, William Chapman, and Marian Mercer. The musical was based on the B.J. Chute novel, 'Greenwillow' (1956), which was described by a critic as 'a deeply moving, gently humorous and serenely wise' story of young love and self-discovery.

 

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