Theatre By The Sea to Host 90th Anniversary BIG BARN BASH

In celebration of 90 years of Theatre By The Sea, owner and producer Bill Hanney has announced a Big Barn Bash featuring TBTS alumni, which will take place at the historic barn theatre on Monday, August 21, 2023.

“I'm very excited that so many TBTS alumni are available to join us as we celebrate the 90th Anniversary of this magical theatre,” said Bill Hanney. “Kevin Hill has created a spectacular show for this once-in-a-lifetime event, which shouldn't be missed!”

Join alumni from Theatre By The Sea's stellar history as they take the stage to celebrate the theatre's 90th Anniversary. Directed and hosted by TBTS's Producing Artistic Director, Kevin P. Hill, who has directed and choreographed productions of Kinky Boots, Mamma Mia!, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Sister Act, Young Frankenstein, Mary Poppins, Grease, and Hello, Dolly!, confirmed performers include Charles Shaughnessy, who is most recognized as Shane on Days of Our Lives and Maxwell Sheffield opposite Fran Drescher on the The Nanny. Theatre By The Sea audiences will remember Mr. Shaughnessy as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady (2015), in which he played opposite Kerry Conte as Eliza Doolittle. Ms. Conte, who also appeared in the title role in TBTS' production of Mary Poppins will be reuniting with Mr. Shaughnessy for this special event. Tony Award-winning Broadway veteran Michael McGrath, (Tootsie, Nice Work If You Can Get It, On the Twentieth Century, Memphis, Spamalot, Wonderful Town, The Goodbye Girl, My Favorite Year), who appeared in 19 shows at TBTS from 1977-1991 and his daughter Katie Claire McGrath, who appeared as Katherine Plumber in Disney's Newsies at TBTS, as well as their lifelong friend, Broadway's Gary Lynch (Les Misérables), who appeared in TBTS productions of I Love My Wife, Pirates of Penzance, Brigadoon, West Side Story, Over Here, They're Playing Our Song, Annie, Barnum, Joseph, The Rink, Evita, The King and I, Baby, A Chorus Line, Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate) from 1981-1989, will also be joining the celebration. RI's own Dante Sciarra, who appeared in a multitude of productions for over a decade at TBTS and whose Broadway and national tour credits include Chicago, Hello, Dolly! and Sunset Boulevard, will be reuniting with good friend Jennifer Barrette Maiello who was seen in Dames at Sea, Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oklahoma! and 42nd Street. She also tapped her way across the country in the national tour of Crazy For You. Maria Day Hyde, who Rhode Islanders may recognize from her many years as part of Charlie Hall's Ocean State Follies has been affiliated with Theatre By The Sea since 1980 when she starred as Sandy in Grease. In addition to working in several backstage and front of house positions, she also appeared in recent TBTS productions of The Wizard of Oz, Sister Act, My Fair Lady, and The Music Man. Local actress Stacey Ledoux, who will be remembered for roles in The Music Man, Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will be participating, along with Al Bundonis, who also appeared in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, as well as Hello, Dolly!, Spamalot, Mary Poppins, and Mamma Mia!. He will be reunited with his Mamma Mia! co-stars Erica Mansfield, who portrayed Donna, and Merrill Peiffer, who played every Dynamo in the 2018 production and returned as Tanya in the 2021 encore. Tarra Conner Jones who wowed audiences in both Ain't Misbehavin' and Chicago, and Tommy Labanaris who won rave reviews for his portrayal of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein are thrilled to return for this special event. There will be a special appearance by Trade Secret, which has previously appeared at TBTS and two of its members, Mike Maino and Bob O'Connell, were in the quartet in TBTS' 2017 production of The Music Man. Together with RI Music Hall of Fame members Jim Berger and Jerry Xavier, the quartet will entertain with their tight barbershop quartet harmonies. And last, but certainly not least, are the showstopping talents of Audrey Belle Adams and Julian Malone, who are returning to the Matunuck stage after their critically acclaimed performances as Lauren and Lola in last season's record-breaking production of Kinky Boots.

The 90th Anniversary Big Barn Bash will take place at Theatre By The Sea on Monday, August 21, 2023 at 7:30 pm. The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Matunuck, RI. Tickets are $90 for the performance and $125 for the performance and a special VIP after-party (additional fees may apply). Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and performance days from 11:00 am until curtain, (performance Sundays 12 noon until curtain), online 24-hours-a-day at www.theatrebythesea.com and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 782-TKTS (8587).

Located on Rhode Island's South Shore, Theatre By The Sea celebrates 90 years of summer theatre at its best!

Theatre By The Sea, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, has had many incarnations since opening on August 7, 1933. Tommy Brent saved the theatre from demolition in 1967 and ran it successfully until FourQuest Entertainment took over the lease in 1988. Following extensive renovations, FourQuest reopened the theatre in the spring of 1989 and continued producing high quality entertainment at the seaside playhouse until the fall of 2003. Bill Hanney purchased the property in 2007 and, with producing partners, successfully mounted a production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, just six weeks later, reopening the historic theatre on August 8, 2007. Since then, Theatre By The Sea has continued to produce a four-musical subscription season, a late-night cabaret series, a children's theatre festival, and a children's summer theatre camp.

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