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Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre
2009-2010 Performance Slate |
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“Radio Cole”
June 12-14, 19-20 • 2009
“Radio Cole” celebrates Ole Olsen’s fifth anniversary of performing a
fast-paced, fun and original Cole Porter revue as part of the Cole Porter
festivities June 12th –14th. This year’s show tells the story of Smitty, a
former goth kid who has morphed into a replica of a 1940’s hipster, who has
returned to Smalltown, Indiana, to produce a radio tribute to Cole Porter on
his Uncle’s local radio station. Along the way, he and his friends he
drafted from college must deal with everything from the town’s overly
welcoming Welcome Wagon, distracted musicians, two back-up singers pushing
for the inclusion of a “Sex and the City” parody, and the local chapter of
the Junior Achiever-Nauts on a tour of the station. Written and directed by
Kurt Schindler with music direction by Tom Gustin, the show will feature
over 25 Cole Porter songs ranging from well-known favorites (“Night and Day”
and “In The Still of the Night”) to lesser-known gems, including many which
have not been performed in the previous four revues (“Come On In”, “Wake Up
and Dream”, and “What Are Little Husbands Made Of”). The show should be
great fun for those who love Cole Porter’s music and for those who just like
to laugh and enjoy some of the best of our local talent. |
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"Summerstock"
July 18 - 2p and 5:30p • 2009
"Summerstock" is a collection of three
one act plays. This year we are concentrated on fairy tale spoofs. One of
the three is written by W.R.I.T.E. workshop participant, Jenny Goodman.
These are FREE to the public, no reservations taken. |
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"The Decade Club"
July 24-26, July 31, August 1-2 • 2009
"To the Decade Club!" With that toast, a group of graduating seniors vow to
reunite every ten years. Starting at age eighteen, the characters take the
audience on a journey that spans five decades of laughter, tears and
memories. Like the party with the "mystery" punch that wasn't so mysterious
after all. And what would growing up be without falling in love? Shy Lizzie
has always loved Steve, and Steve may just love her too, if he can find a
way to deal with his troubled past. But wait! Miss Popularity, Robin, also
has a crush on Steve, and Doug, an easy-going guy, loves Lizzie. Angela
Crane, the class president, would rather be in the Senate than in love.
Chris is happily married. Or so he says. No one's ever seen his wife! By the
time we reach our last reunion, there's a whimsical and heart-warming
matching of souls. While the audience enjoys this funny, tender tour of
growing up, each actor will be challenged by the opportunity to depict their
characters as they mature from the age of 18 to 68 through make up, fashion,
and music. “We’re hoping to make this show somewhat of a history lesson. The
kids will research each decade and learn a lot about the aging process. Our
goal is help them gain a new respect for their elders and see what growing
up is really like," said the show’s director Debby Mullikin. Her assistant
director Alan Myers says “The cast has been chosen and we are amazed at
these kids’ talent.” |
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"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
October 1-4, 9-11 • 2009
Based on a novel written by Ken Kesey in 1962 about his time working
as an orderly in a mental health facility “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”
centers around a charming convince who contrives to serve a short sentence
in an airy Oregon mental institution rather than going to prison. What he
thought would be a piece of cake, soon turns into a life shattering mistake.
Seeing mental illness up close and personal, his rebellion ensues. He
clashes with head nurse Ratched and the undertones of their love/hate
relationship results in paying the ultimate price. In 1963, Kirk Douglas
starred in the Broadway play (later to be portrayed by Gary Sinise in the
2001 Revival) and was most notably made into a film in 1975 starring Jack
Nicholson. The cast consists of 12-16 men and 4-6 women. Debby Mullikin will
direct. Both Anne Loy & Mary Holland will serve as assistant directors. |
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"California Suite"
December 3-6, 11-13 • 2009
Have you had a moment while staying in a hotel room where you wondered what
had taken place there before? The second of Neil Simon’s three “Suite”
plays, California Suite tells four different stories linked only by all of
them taking place in the same room at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Originally
performed on stage with four actors playing five couples and one actress
playing a special visitor, the film version released in 1978 changed the
show’s structure and also cast each part separately with a roster of stars
including Jane Fonda, Alan Alda, Walter Matthau, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby,
Michael Caine, and Maggie Smith, who won an Academy Award as Best Supporting
Actress for her performance as an Academy Award nominee. For Ole Olsen’s
production, director Kurt Schindler plans on drawing from both the Broadway
production and the film by staying true to the text while casting separate
actors to portray the four stories of couples in crisis: The New York
Visitor confronting her now very Californian ex-husband, the Philadelphia
Visitor hiding something from his wife, the married London Visitors
participating in Hollywood’s grandest ritual, and the four Chicago Visitors
who are just trying to survive their vacation. With everything from subtle
wit to full-blown slapstick comedy, California Suite promises to be a show
full of laughs of all kinds. |
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"You're a Good Man Charlie Brown"
February 18-21, 26-28 • 2010
You're a Good Man Charlie Brown is a musical based on the comic strip by
Charles M. Schultz. This show is "an average day in the life of Charlie
Brown." It really is just that, a day made up of little moments picked
from all the days of Charlie Brown, from Valentine's Day to the baseball
season, from wild optimism to utter despair, all mixed in with the lives
of his friends and strung together on the string of a single day, from
bright uncertain morning to a hopeful starlit evening. |
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"Play it Again, Sam"
April 22-25, April 30, May 1-2 •
2010
A mild mannered film critic is dumped by his wife and his ego is
crushed. His hero persona is the tough guy played by Humphrey Bogart in
many of his movies and the apparition of Bogart begins showing up to
give him advice. With the encouragement of his two married friends, he
actually tries dating again, with less than satisfactory results, until
he relaxes. |
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