STAND BY YOUR MAN Opens 3/18 at Ivoryton Playhouse

Tammy Wynette was a country music icon. Called the "First Lady of Country Music", she was one of country music's best-known artists and biggest-selling female singer-songwriters. Wynette's "Stand by Your Man" was one of the best-selling hit singles by a woman in the history of country music. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Wynette charted 23 No. 1 songs, helping to define the role of women in country music.

STAND BY YOUR MAN, opening at the Ivoryton Playhouse on March 18th, 2015, brings the woman behind the legend and the incredible songs that made her the first lady of country music, off the stage and into your heart. Through her eyes, the audience relives her journey from the cotton fields of Itawamba, Mississippi, to international superstar. With comic flare and dramatic impact STAND BY YOUR MAN recounts triumphs and tragedies and explores Tammy's relationships with the five husbands she stood by, including George Jones, her beloved daughters, her strong-willed mother and two of her dearest friends: colorful writer and producer Billy Sherrill and film star Burt Reynolds. Among the 26 songs are "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," "Til I Can Make It on My Own" and "Golden Ring."

Directed and musical directed by the husband and wife team of David and Sherry Lutken, who were last here in 2012 with the amazing production, RING OF FIRE, the show stars husband and wife team Katie Barton* and Ben Hope*. Hope made his Broadway debut in 2012 as the lead in the Tony Award winning musical ONCE and Barton has just recently finished the national tour of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET. The show also features Eric Anthony*, Guy Fischetti, Jonathan Brown, Marcy McGuigan*, Morgan Morse, Sam Sherwood*, Lily Tobin* and Louis Tucci*.

The set is designed by Dan Nischan, lighting by Marcus Abbott, wigs by Liz Cipollina and costumes by Anya Sokolovskaya.

stand by your man opens in Ivoryton on March 18th and runs through April 5th. Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Tickets are $42 for adults, $37 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org (Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.