Shirley Jones to Return to the Stage in Carousel

By Andrew Gans
June 28, 2005

Veteran singing actress Shirley Jones, who was most recently on Broadway in 42nd Street, will be part of the Reagle Players' 37th summer season.

The film and TV icon will star in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, which will be presented at the Waltham, MA theatre July 14-23. Jones, who played Julie Jordan in the film of Carousel, will play the maternal Nettie Fowler in the Reagle Players production. Jones will get the chance to sing two Rodgers and Hammerstein classics, "June Is Bustin' Out All Over" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."

The upcoming production of Carousel celebrates the musical's 60th anniversary and will feature direction by Robert Eagle and choreography by Gemze De Lappe. The cast will also include Broadway's Sarah Pfisterer as Julie Jordan and Nat Chandler as Billy Bigelow.

Shirley Jones appeared in the Broadway productions of South Pacific, Maggie Flynn and 42nd Street, but is best known for her work on the small and silver screens. She was the matriarch of "The Partridge Family" and also starred in the films of "Oklahoma," "Carousel" and "The Music Man." Jones won an Academy Award for her performance in "Elmer Gantry."

The Reagle Players will follow Carousel with a production of The Sound of Music in August. John Davidson will star.

The Robinson Theatre is located at 617 Lexington Street in Waltham, MA. Tickets, priced $20-$42, are available by calling (781) 891-5600. Visit www.reagleplayers.com for more information.