The Cleveland Play House (CPH) production of the acclaimed Broadway musical, Side Show opens April 20 in the Bolton Theatre. The show stared reviews April 17 and is expected to run through May 13. Side Show premiered at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on October 1997.
As reported, Victoria Bussert directs the story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, who overcame tremendous odds on their journey from sideshow freaks to successful vaudeville stars.
CPH production director Victoria Bussert did her first staging of Side Show in 1999 at Cain Park, which is a summer theatre in Cleveland Heights where she serves as artistic director. According to production notes, she “has been with the Great Lakes Theater Festival for 15 seasons and presently serves there as a resident director. She recently staged GLTF’s revival of Gypsy as well as A Little Night Music, The Most Happy Fellaand She Loves Me. She also directed the National Tours of Into the Woods, Once on This Island, The Secret Garden and Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. She chairs the musical theatre program at Baldwin-Wallace College.
Reprising their Cain Park roles, Cleveland actors Carol Dunne, Sandra Simon and Greg Violand star as conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and vaudeville promoter Terry Conner respectively.
The show’s score, by composer Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls) and Side Show lyricist and book writer Bill Russell (OB’s The Texas Chainsaw Musical and the AIDS piece, Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens) includes the songs "Who Will Love Me As I Am," "We Share Everything" and "You Should Be Loved." The production team comprises CPH associate artist Larry Delinger, choreographer Janiece Kelley-Kiteley, scene designer Karen TenEyck, costume designer Russ Borski and lighting designer Mary Jo Dondlinger.
There are special pre-curtain dialogues planned during the run. Designed to enhance the patron’s theatre-going experience,” these dialogues are scheduled before the matinees on April 21, 28, May 5, 12 and 19. Admission is to the special dialogues is free.
Tickets range $31-$42. For information call the ticket office at (216) 795 7000, or visit clevelandplayhouse.com.
—By Murdoch McBride
