Lakewood Theatre Company Closes SWEET CHARITY10/17

 

Meet Charity Hope Valentine, a 1960s dance hall hostess, eternal optimist, and unlucky romantic, as she searches for true love in Sweet Charity, the Tony Award-winning musical opening at Lakewood Theatre Company September 10, 2010.

This exuberant show, filled with lively choreography and snappy Neil Simon dialogue, features such show-stopping numbers as "Big Spender," "Rhythm of Life," and "If They Could See Me Now." Performances continue through October 17 with the following schedule:  Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 PM; Sundays at 7:00 PM on September 12, 19 & 26 and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM on September 19, 26 and October 3, 10 & 17. The show sponsor is The Bank of Oswego.

Lakewood Theatre Company is located at Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State Street in Lake Oswego. Ticket prices are $30/adults and $28/seniors. Other discounts are available for students, and groups. Patrons can still purchase season tickets for a five-show package which provide discounted admission and preferred seating. For additional information and tickets, call the Lakewood Box Office at (503) 635-3901 or order online at www.lakewood-center.org.

About the musical: Sweet Charity is a tender, poignant and consistently funny look at the adventures, or rather, misadventures in the ways of love encountered by the gullible and guileless lady known as Charity Hope Valentine who always gives her heart, and her earnings, to the wrong man. Charity (Amy Beth Frankel) sings, dances, laughs and cries her way through romance after romance with an endless parade of men all played in Lakewood's production by Joe Theissen.

The original Broadway production, with clever dialogue by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields perfectly capture the rhythm, sounds and vernacular of 1960s New York City. Sweet Charity was nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 1966 and Bob Fosse, its director choreographer, won the Tony Award for best choreography.

Starring in Lakewood's production are Amy Beth Frankel as Charity, Joe Theissen as Oscar and Ron Daum as Herman. Featured in the cast are Charity's girlfriends: Lindsay Michelet as Helene, Megan Misslin as Nickie and Pam Mahon as Carmen. Also featured are Jill Westerby as Betsy and Stephanie Heuston as Ursula.

Making up the ensemble are veteran Portland area musical performers: Gina Johnson Morris, Erin Shannon, Norman Wilson, Kylie Clarke Johnson, Tommy Stefenek, McKenna Twedt, Mia Crivello, Meredith Weber, Tracy Turner, Taylor Libonati and Tim Johnson.

Lakewood's production of Sweet Charity is directed by Isaac Lamb, musical direction is by Kurt Crowley and choreography is by Amy Beth Frankel and Gina Johnson Morris. Scenic design is by Chris Rousseau, costume design is by Allison Dawe, lighting design is by Jeff Forbes, wig design is by Jane Holmes, properties are by Felix Kelsey and sound design is by Cameron McFee. Assistant director for the production is Kelly Cullom, the stage manager is AlAnna White. The show is produced by Kay Vega.

To post a comment, you must register and login.