The Park Theatre 2008 Season Opens This Saturday
"SHOWTIME!" Shows Off Monadnock Talent
The littlest singers of all - the Trebles and Choristers from the Peterborough Children's Choir - perform "Food, Glorious Food!" from the British musical Oliver! this Saturday evening at The Park Theatre's 2008 Season Opener, "IT'S SHOWTIME!". Oliver! is the heart-warming story of the struggle of orphans in England during the 1800's, and its publication as a novel by Charles Dickens spurred important reforms in orphanages throughout the country. This 1960 musical was the first stage hit of a Dickens' story. The Peterborough Children's Choir Trebles are auditioned singers from the Monadnock Region in grades 2 through 4. The more senior Choristers are students in grades 5 through 8. They join the more senior and seasoned Monadnock Region vocalists and musicians in an evening of some of the best and favorite show tunes from decades of Broadway musicals.
"IT'S SHOWTIME", directed and produced by Maria Belva and Ned Dahl, starts at 8 pm on Saturday, April 19 at St. Patrick School on Main Street in Jaffrey. Tickets are $25 and are available at the door as well as in advance at Toadstool's and Steele's in Peterborough and the Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds from the evening's event support the development of The Park Theatre and programs at St. Patrick School. A dessert reception after the performance is included in the ticket price and is an opportunity to meet the performers and musicians.
Some of the Ensemble ( band not shown) opening the show with "Everything's Coming up Roses" from Gypsy. L-R: Mark Fernald, Lisa Perreault, David Vernier, Liz Sumner, Maria Belva, Elizabeth Nieckoski, John Sansone. Ensemble members not visible: Ned Dahl, Dylan Glow, Caroline Hollister, Jeffrey McGinnis, Katie Rolph, and Melody Rolf
"IT'S SHOWTIME!" also features the Rolph sisters, Katie and Melody Grace, who come together for the first time in a long time. Twenty-three year old Katie Rolph sings "Johnny One Note" from the 1937 musical Babes in Arms, which tells the story of a boy who puts on a show to avoid being sent to a work farm. Katie hails from Francestown and graduates in May from Emerson College with a BFA in Musical Theater. Locally, she spent her early acting and singing years at Conval High School and Andy's Summer Playhouse, and was last seen on the Cutler Majestic Theater's stage as Helena in Midsummer Night's Dream, and as a Diamond Eddie's girl in On the Town. She is currently working on two original shows, written by fellow artists, Muffin Man the Musical and The Dance of Hands.
Her sister, Melody Grace, is a junior at Conval High School and a long-time member of the Peterborough Children's Choir and the Monadnock Performing Arts Academy. She sings "How Lovely to be a Woman" from the 1960 musical hit Bye, Bye, Birdie. Originally titled Let's Go Steady, this musical is a satire on the American society of the 1950's and is the tale of "Conrad Birdie", a character based on Elvis Presley, whose draft into the army shortly before the musical was written inspired a plot element. Melody Rolph also studies violin with Candace Wharton and has performed with Andy's Summer Playhouse since she was nine years old.
Doors open at 7:30. The performance includes 18 of the best-loved show tunes by some of the most talented vocalists in the Monadnock Region accompanied by an eleven- member band, conducted by Ned Dahl, and concludes with a dessert reception. "IT'S SHOWTIME!" at St. Patrick School in Jaffrey for one night only on Saturday, April 19 at 8 pm.
(L-R) Mark Fernald and David Vernier singing "Guys and Dolls," the title song of Guys and Dolls
The Park Theatre Partner productions coming up in April include The Branch River Theatre's production of "The Foreigner" on April 17, 18 and 19 at the Marlborough Meeting House in Marlborough and The Monadnock Chorus' Spring Concert on April 26 and April 27 at the Peterborough Town House in Peterborough.
The Park Theatre's free Summer Movie Nights will begin with "Some Like It Hot" on Thursday, July 10 on the lawn of the Jaffrey Civic Center at 8:30 pm. The free summer movies throughout July will be held at the Jaffrey Civic Center that generously hosts The Park Theatre summer movie series. The center's annual "Night of 1,000 Cupcakes" will be held on Thursday, July 17 and will be followed by The Park Theatre's showing of "Girl Crazy" starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. One of the best loved Tarzan movies and a round-up of Bugs Bunny cartoons will wrap of the season. For further information about these movies, the Fall Family Films or other events in The Park Theatre's 2008 Season, please call 603. 532-7711, 603. 532-4576, email , or visit our home page.
