SHOW BOAT Comes To Village Theater, Previews 5/13

Village Theatre is excited to announce the docking of their production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's epic masterpiece, Show Boat on the Mainstage. Show Boat will have one preview performance in Issaquah on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, and will officially open the following day, running May 14-July 3, 2009 in Issaquah, and July 10-August 2, 2009 in Everett.

This tale of passion, pride, love, and betrayal boasts one of the most majestic scores in musical theatre. Show Boat spans five decades in the lives of Cap'n Andy Hawks and his troupe of entertainers, a vivid chronicle of changing lives in changing times, and is one of the groundbreaking musicals of the last century. The last time Show Boat was seen in the Puget Sound region was over 10 years ago. Even then, this show was a tour, where as Village Theatre will produce the show locally.

In true Village Theatre fashion, the theatre's production staff will build and design every aspect of the show's scenery and props-including a 6,000 pound showboat-at the Issaquah-based technical studios located just down the street from the Francis J. Gaudette Theatre. "What makes this show such an artistic challenge, aside from financial demands, is its sheer size," comments Jay Markham, Village Theatre production manager. "The story takes place over the course of 50 years, so the build encompasses many looks. The boat itself is the single largest piece of scenery ever constructed by our scene shop. Because it weighs 6000 pounds and is three stories tall, it must live on stage at all times. That in and of itself is a challenge but when you couple that with ten additional scenes worth of scenery and furniture including a Chicago night club, a Natchez saloon, and a convent, it is a monstrous build," Markham added.

Village Theatre's in-house costume shop is building and coordinating a wardrobe of the roughly 156 costumes that will be seen in the show. The costume shop has a number of full-time, accomplished artisans who are working alongside costume designer Karen Ledger (Village Theatre credits include: Play It By Heart, AIDA, The Importance of Being Earnest) to encompass the demands of this particular production. "The costumes for Show Boat span 50 years in a time when fashion changed drastically from season to season. Hats went from 36" wide to 8" beanies over the course of these years. The looks change for each character as the years pass, as the weather warms up, as they lose money, and so on," comments Markham, "and we aim to cover all those details."

A vibrant piece of musical theatre history, Show Boat was arguably the first elaborate musical narrative epic that worked with challenging themes and many storylines throughout. "In 1927, the production took over the musical theatre scene, offering audiences a piece of theatre with a realistic storyline that not only spoke to the heart, but dealt with issues of race and discrimination," comments Steve Tomkins, Village Theatre artistic director. "The story was written not to embolden these issues, but to display them as part of that culture and time period. It is through the pairing of the story and score, which boasts music that still stirs audiences today, that we experience a deeply developed narrative on stage," Tomkins added.

Village Theatre's production of Show Boat is enhanced by a large cast of 28 actors and a 17 piece orchestra. The production is directed by Jerry Dixon (original Broadway cast member of Once On This Island); choreography by Stanley Perryman; scenic design by Bob Dahlstrom (Village Theatre: The King and I); lighting design by Gregory Bloxham; and costume design by Karen Ledger. For more information or to schedule individual interviews, please contact Michelle Sanders, public relations manager at (425) 392-1942 x124 or msanders@villagetheatre.org.

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