Like the mythical Scottish village of the title, Brigadoon will fade from Dallas County Oct. 21. The Irving, Texas production at the Lyric Stage began performances Oct. 7 at the Dupree Theater.
Lerner and Loewe's classic musical fantasy on the power of love, Brigadoon brings two lost New Yorkers, Tommy and Jeff, to a picturesque Scottish village buried in the highlands. There, the men meet the villagers and Tommy falls in love with the beautiful Fiona. But the town is cursed and exists only for one day every century before disappearing again into the mists. The score features the beloved songs "Almost Like Being in Love" and "The Heather on the Hill."
Michael Kutner is Tommy and Greg Bateson is Jeff, with Dara Whitehead as Fiona and Laurie Vlasich as Meg. Also in the cast are John Gardner, Deobrah Jolly and Kim Garoon.
Three-time Dallas Theatre League Leon Rabin Award winner Cheryl Denson directs, with two time winner Pamela Peadon as choreographer. Nyela Basney is the musical director.
Tickets are $25-$18. The Irving Arts Center is located at 3333 north MacArthur Boulevard. For reservations, call (927) 252-2787. *
With The Fantasticks turning 40 this year, its creators, Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, are planning on premiering their newest musical, Roadside, in 2001 at Dallas' Lyric Stage. Based on Lynn Riggs' play (the same author whose Green Grow the Lilacs served as the backbone to Oklahoma!), the comedy looks at the people, who, contrary to Lilacs' story, fought against statehood for the principals of freedom and individualism. Roadside runs Feb. 15 March 3, 2001.
The first premiere of the season, however, will be a Christmas musical, A Christmas To Remember, running Dec. 1-16, 2000. Set at the turn of the 20th Century, Christmas follows a series of holidays in the life of William Sidney Porter, better known to the world as O. Henry. Specifically, the tuner examines what inspired the man to write his most famous short story, "The Gift of the Magi." Daniel Humbert wrote the music, Clayton Stang the lyrics and Jay Dias wrote the book.
The composer David Friedman, who had his King Island Christmas performed at the Lyric last season, is the subject of a revue, Listen to My Heart: The Songs of David Friedman, premiering April 21-May 5. Friedman's compositions have been sung by the likes of Diana Ross, Nanyc LaMott, Kathie Lee Gifford and Petula Clark.
As a special bonus, ten Dallas divas return for the fifth annual Dallas Divas! concerts March 16 and 17. This special tribute to Lerner and Loewe will be held at the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall.
-- By Christine Ehren
