SEATTLE -- Eric England knows the lead role of Roy Olmstead, the real life 1920's Seattle police captain and closet bootlegger, in Village Theatre's musical Bootlegger quite well, having played it in the show's workshop version in 1996 in the theatre's new musicals series.

Angie Rolfs, Jennifer Jett, and Michael Cimino also reprise roles from the earlier version, augmented by such stellar Seattle musical theatre veterans as Laura Kenny, and Greg Allen, under the direction and choreography of Village's artistic director Steve Tomkins.

Bootlegger opened Mar. 19 and finishes its scheduled run Apr. 26 at the Village's Mainstage theatre at 303 Front St. in Issaquah, WA. For tickets ($18-$28) and show times call (425) 392-2202.

Author/composer/lyricist Bruce Monroe has been revising and redefining this "docu-vaudeville" about hot times in little old Seattle for about eight years.

The last workshop had some notable musical numbers, vivid supporting character's and, according to the critics, a rather ill-defined and uncompelling leading character, despite actor England's best efforts, so it was interesting to see how much two years of revisions have affected the piece. Next up at the Village Theatre: Bells Are Ringing, May 15-June 28.

-- By David-Edward Hughes
Seattle Correspondent