Spokane Valley Summer Theatre Brings 1950's Rock 'n' Roll To Life With BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

Spokane Valley Summer Theatre closes its 'Divine Season 9' with the world's most successful rock and roll show, BUDDY: THE Buddy Holly STORY.

Directed by Collin J. Pittmann, with music direction by David Brewster and choreography by Andrea Olsen, you're sure to get your 'rave on' as you experience the drama, passion, and excitement of Buddy Holly's life, cut short at just 22 years old and 'the day the music died.' BUDDY takes you from Holly's meteoric rise to fame to his legendary performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa and features well known tunes including "That'll be the Day," "La Bamba," "Chantilly Lace," "Johnny B. Goode," "Everyday," and "Peggy Sue".

Leading the cast is Gunnar Rorholm (Buddy Holly), Dylan James (The Big Bopper), Ilan Hernandez (Ritchie Valens) and Isabella Mesenbrink (Maria Elena Holly). Rorholm, a recent graduate of St. Mary's University in Minnesota, has SVST credits that include Daryl Ames (Bright Star) and Teen Angel (Grease). James, who is earning his BFA in musical theatre from Belmont University was most recently seen as Lt. Joseph Cable in South Pacific. Other SVST credits include Danny Zuko (Grease) and Davey (Newsies). Hernandez was in SVST's Sister Act as Eddie and is currently working towards his MFA in acting from Academy of Art University, and Mesenbrink (fresh off a stint as associate music director for the national tour of The Cher Show) was most notably Mary Robert in Sister Act.

The cast of BUDDY also includes Owen Larson (Joe P. Mauldin), Taylor Belote (Jerry Allison), Art Corcoran (Tommy Allsup), Paul Villabrille (Hipockets Duncan), Dan Griffith (Norman Petty), Ryan Patterson (Vi Petty), Vanessa Cole (Marlena Madison), Zane Bresko (Jack Daw/WWOL DJ), Charles Fletcher (Murray Deutch/Hayrider), and Skyler Kelly (DECCA Producer/Clearlake MC). The Snowbirds are Noelle Fries, Ruby Krajic, Isabella Mesenbrink, Anna Maria Seiple and Ashlynn Williams.

BUDDY: THE Buddy Holly STORY is on the SVST stage July 26 - August 11. Tickets are on sale now at svsummertheatre.com or through the Box Office at (509) 368-7897. Important venue change: performances are at Central Valley High School Theatre, 821 S. Sullivan Rd., Spokane Valley, WA.

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