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Show Boat Steams Into Long Island's Gateway Playhouse July 30-Aug. 23
By Kenneth Jones
30 Jul 2008
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Kiira Schmidt and Sean Montgomery in Show Boat
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Show Boat, the ambitious large-cast 1927 musical considered the grandfather of the modern American musical, will moor at Gateway Playhouse, Long Island's professional Equity musical theatre, July 30-Aug. 23.
Bill Theisen directs the masterpiece by Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics) and Jerome Kern (music), who drew from Edna Ferber's novel of the same name. Michelle Webber choreographs, Nathan Perry is musical director. Scenic design is by Brodie Alan Steele, lighting design is by Kim Hanson and wardrobe supervisor is Marianne Dominy. Paul Allan is Gateway's producer.
The cast includes Thomas Wazelle as Ravenal; Jillian Louis as Magnolia; Isabel Santiago as Julie; Robert Lydiard as Cap'n Andy; Anette Michelle Sanders as Parthy; Kiira Schmidt as Ellie; Sean Montgomery as Frank; Dan Tullis, Jr. as Joe; and Cynthia Cobb as Queenie. The troupe also includes Kaela Angona, Anne Bloemendal, Joe Danbusky, Derrick Davis, Matthew DeCapua, Brandon Haagonson, Chad Hilligus, Jamel Hudson, Abeku Hayes, Chad Hilligus, Jamel Hudson, Denise Molnar, Chip Morris, Nathan W. Perry, Tyrone Robinson, Jenna Schoen, Stefan Schuette, Brittany Sellers, Stephanie Schrader, John Simpson, Elizabeth Sousek, Tonya Thompson, John Tighe, Lindsay O. Travis, Ariana Valdes, Michelle Veintimilla, Anastasia Votino and Ayanna Williams.
The 500-seat Gateway is at 215 South Country Road in Bellport, NY.
According to Gateway, "Show Boat, perhaps the most influential musical of the 20th century, combined the talents of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, both of whom had felt for that Broadway musical theatre was suffering from a lack of depth and needed to move away from the fluffy musical comedies and melodramatic operetta that it was accustomed to. They chose Edna Ferber's sprawling novel of life on the Mississippi, and set out to deal with issues such as unhappy marriages and racial prejudice. …This is a rare opportunity to experience one of the masterpieces of the American musical theatre."
Focusing on the lives of the people who work on the floating Cotton Blossom, the show covers 40 years of history, from the Reconstruction era of the 1880s to the Jazz Age of the 1920s.
The score boasts "Ol' Man River," "Why Do I Love You," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man of Mine," "Make Believe," "Bill" and "Life Upon The Wicked Stage," among others.
Performances of Show Boat are Tuesday-Friday at 8 PM; Saturday at 4 & 8:30 PM; Sunday at 2 PM with week day matinees Wednesday & Thursday at 2 PM and special performances at 7 PM Sunday Aug. 3 & Aug. 10; no matinee Aug. 10.
Tickets are $39-$43 for adults, and $25 for children 12 and under and can be purchased by calling (888)-4-TIX-NOW, on the web at www.gatewayplayhouse.com, or in person at the theatre in Bellport.
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Gateway is located on seven acres of wooded, grassy land and includes the Mainstage theatre (seats 500), Barn theatre (for acting school classes and projects), scene shop, two rehearsal studios, three dorm-style housing units, a newly remodeled kitchen, costume shop, design office/studio, paint shop, box office, business office, various storage spaces, a recreation room and a large hedge-lined lawn with outdoor swimming pool.
Gateway also presents eight weeks of shows in Patchogue, NY, at The Patchogue Theatre.
All of the actors are professionals, most are members of Actors' Equity and the musicians are members of Local 802.
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Derrick Davis, Jamel Hudson, Tyrone Robinson, Abeku Bomani Hayes and Dan W. Tullis, Jr. in Show Boat.
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