Musical Theater Project, Kent State and the Beck Center to Present BABES IN ARMS, 9/18 & 21

The Musical Theater Project, Kent State University and Beck Center for the Arts will present Rodgers and Hart's classic musical comedy "Babes In Arms" in concert for two performances: Thursday, September 18, at 8pm on Beck Center's Mackey Main Stage and Sunday, September 21, at 2pm at Kent State University's E. Turner Stump Theatre.

Set during the Depression, "Babes In Arms" is the original "Hey-let's-us-kids-put-on-a-show!" musical. The kids' parents are down-and-out vaudevillians, and if money can't be raised in two weeks, the teenagers will be sent to a work farm.

The 1937 score features more standards than any other Rodgers and Hart musical, including "Where or When," "The Lady Is a Tramp" and "My Funny Valentine." Two years later MGM produced the hit film version starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.

Rodgers and Hart also wrote the original script for "Babes in Arms." It will be presented in the 1999 adaptation by John Guare.

The concert is staged by Porthouse Theatre artistic director Terri Kent and features current students from Kent State University's Musical Theatre Program, which Kent directs. Nancy Maier serves as music director.

This full-length show will be performed as an in-concert reading, which has become a popular way to explore musicals that are rarely staged but important to the art form. "In concert" means the company will tell the story without sets or costumes, focusing on all of the spoken dialogue and songs.

TMTP artistic director Bill Rudman will provide an introduction to the musical just before both performances. Afterward the entire company, Kent, Maier and associate music director Jen Korecki will join in a discussion with the audience.

"I love this project because it's a fantastic experience for everyone involved," says Kent. "The audience gets to experience a terrific musical that's rarely done. And my 16 students get to immerse themselves in a classic show that makes real demands on them as performers. They'll learn how to recreate the style of 1930s Broadway while making the material fresh for a contemporary audience."

Beck Center for the Arts is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. Tickets for the September 18th performance are $21-$26 and can be purchased by calling Beck Center Customer Service office at (216) 521-2540 or online at www.beckcenter.org.

E. Turner Stump Theatre is located in the Center for Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent State University campus. Tickets for the September 21st performance are $11-$16 and can be purchased through the KSU box office at (330) 672-2787 or online at www.kent.edu/theatredance.

"Babes in Arms" is part of TMTP's "Song Is You!" concert and cabaret series. Ohio Arts Council helps fund The Musical Theater Project with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Musical Theater Project also receives public support with local tax dollars from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, to preserve and enrich our region's artistic and cultural heritage. Additional support is provided by Robert Conrad, Susan Kohn and Mike Kohn, the Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, the Kulas Foundation and Cleveland Public Library. Media sponsors include Cleveland.com, WKHR 91.5 FM and WCLV 104.9 FM.

ABOUT THE MUSICAL THEATER PROJECT -- A nonprofit organization founded in 2000, TMTP produces concerts, in-school residency programs, radio programming and recordings that foster a deeper appreciation of the American musical -- and the social and cultural history that surrounds it -- by creating programs that educate as well as entertain people of all ages. To learn more about TMTP, call 216-529-9411 or visit www.MusicalTheaterProject.org.

ABOUT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY'S MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM - KSU offers a BFA in musical theater with interdisciplinary academic and creative experiences that prepare students to be working artists in the field. Students receive conservatory training within a liberal education curriculum and environment. The BFA candidate is expected to develop the acting, voice and dance skills required to be successful in the professional arena. Successful BFA candidates are selected to participate in the culminating New York musical theater showcase. For more information, visit www.kent.edu/theatredance.

ABOUT BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS - Beck Center is more than a nonprofit organization that combines professional theater with arts education. It is committed to creating art experiences that are as individual as the people it serves, with eclectic performances to suit many tastes, education opportunities for all ages and abilities, community outreach and free exhibitions. Beck Center believes that the arts can be transformative and strengthen our community. Go to www.beckcenter.org for more information on exhibits and outreach programs, to purchase theatre tickets, and to sign up for classes.