Feature: Full Summer of Shows at Cedar Summerstock Theatre

One of Iowa's newest theatre companies has scheduled a full slate of productions for its inaugural season.

Cedar Summerstock Theatre is based in St. Ansgar, Iowa. It will run four shows back-to-back through the months of July and August. First up is JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, followed by JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, THE MUSIC MAN, and BEST OF BROADWAY REVUE: FROM CLASSIC TO CURRENT.

All four productions will take place at the Krapek Family Performing Arts Center at the Cedar River Complex in Osage, Iowa, approximately 2 hours north of Des Moines.

The first production, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, is about to enter its final weekend with performances July 6-9. It will quickly be followed by two weeks of performances each for JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH July 13-23 and THE MUSIC MAN July 27-August 26. The theatre company's debut season will conclude August 10-12 with the BEST OF BROADWAY REVUE: FROM CLASSIC TO CURRENT.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR features lyrics by Tim Rice (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita) and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera, School of Rock, Evita). According to the Theatre's website, "A global phenomenon that has wowed audiences for over 40 years, Jesus Christ Superstar is a timeless work set against the backdrop of an extraordinary and universally-known series of events but seen, unusually, through the eyes of Judas Iscariot."

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH features music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, A Christmas Story: The Musical) and book by Roald Dahl. The theatre's website describes the musical as, "Based on Roald Dahl's novel, "When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion which results in a tremendous peach - and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Suddenly James finds himself in the center of the gigantic peach among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities, but after it falls from the tree and rolls into the ocean, the group faces hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements. Thanks to James' quick wit and creative thinking, the residents learn to live and work together as a family. The dangerous voyage is a success, but the adventure takes a whole new twist once they land on the Empire State Building."

THE MUSIC MAN is a Tony Award-winning musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson (The Unsinkable Molly Brown). The theatre's synopsis of the show says, "The popular Tony-Award-winning best musical that is one of the most produced American musicals. With his fast-talking style, "Professor" Harold Hill convinces the parents of River City to buy instruments and uniforms for their youngsters in order to save them, but chaos ensues as Hill's credentials are questioned and he is called upon to prove himself to the citizens of River City."

For BEST OF BROADWAY REVUE: FROM CLASSIC TO CURRENT, the Cedar Summerstock Theatre will feature members of its cast presenting the best of Broadway. The family friendly variety show will celebrate the talents of the Cedar Summerstock's first cast, crew, and artistic team!

Performances for all shows will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. and Friday and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $10 for children and students. A 25% off discount will be given when purchasing a 4- or 3-show package. Tickets can be purchased online at cedarsummerstock.tix.com or via phone at 763-312-8319.

The full article on Cedar Summerstock Theatre's inaugural season can be found here.

Photo Credit: Deb Nicklay

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