Theatre in the Park Show Synopses for 2017 Season

Theatre in the Park has announced the shows for its upcoming 2017 Season. See the full season schedule below:

GREASE (performance dates TBA-new Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center)

Book, Music and Lyrics by

Jim Jacobs and WarRen Casey

Directed by Tim Bair

Here is Rydell High's senior class of 1959: duck-tailed, hot-rodding "Burger Palace Boys" and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking "Pink Ladies" in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950s in this rollicking musical. Head "greaser" Danny Zuko and new (good) girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their "Summer Nights" as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through such songs as "Greased Lightnin'", "It's Raining on Prom Night", "Alone at the Drive-In Movie" recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation.

An 8-year run on Broadway and two subsequent revivals along with innumerable school and community productions place GREASE among the world's most popular musicals.

"A lively and funny musical-as well as the dancingest one in town. It's a winner...the songs are dandies [that portray] the early rockers with zip and charm. The sheer energy of Grease carries all before it." - New York Daily News

Monty Python's SPAMALOT (outdoor amphitheater in Shawnee Mission Park, June 2-10, 2017)

Book and Lyrics by Eric Idle

Music by John Du Prez

Directed by Barb Nichols

Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and features a bevy of beautiful showgirls, not to mention cows, killer rabbits, and French people. Did we mention the bevy of beautiful showgirls? The 2005 Broadway production won three Tony Awards, including "Best Musical," and received 14 Tony Award nominations.

CRAZY FOR YOU (Outdoor amphitheater, June 16-24, 2017)

Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin

Book by Ken Ludwig

Co-Conception by Ken Ludwig and Mike Ockrent

Inspired by Material by Guy Bolton and John McGowan

Originally produced on Broadway by

Roger Horchow and ElizaBeth Williams

Original Broadway Choreography by Susan Stroman

Directed by Kevin Bogan

CRAZY FOR YOU® is the story of Bobby Child, a well-to-do 1930s playboy whose dream in life is to dance. And despite the serious efforts of his mother and soon-to-be ex-fiancée, Bobby achieves his dream! Memorable Gershwin tunes include I Can't Be Bothered Now, Bidin' My Time, I Got Rhythm, They Can't Take That Away From Me, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Embraceable You and Someone To Watch Over Me. It's a high energy comedy which includes mistaken identity, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music.

Disney's CAMP ROCK, THE MUSICAL (outdoor amphitheater, June 30-July 8, 2017)

Book by Robert L. Freedman & Faye Greenbert

Based on a Disney Channel Original Movie written by

Dan Berendsen and Karin Gist & Regina Hicks

and on characters created by

Karin Gist & Regina Hicks and Julie Brown and Paul Brown

Songs by:

Adam Watts & Andy Dodd; Kara DioGuardi & Mitch Allan; Matthew Gerrard & Robbie Nevil; Dapo Torimiro & Lyrica Anderson; Antonina Armato, Tim James & Thomas Sturges; Toby Gad, Lyrica Anderson & Kovasciar Myvette; Antonina Armato, Tim James, Aaron Dudley & Steve Rushton; Jamie Houston; Adam Anders, Nikki Hassman & Peer Astrom; Kara DioGuardi & Greg Wells

Music Adapted, Arranged, Orchestrated and Produced by:

David Lawrence.

Directed by Mark Swezey

DISNEY'S CAMP ROCK, THE MUSICAL, a combination of The Disney Channel's Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (starring teen idols, Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers) will fire up your stage with over a dozen songs, including "This Is Me," "Can't Back Down," "It's On" and "We Rock."

A classic story of rivalry and power, DISNEY'S CAMP ROCK, THE MUSICAL opens with Mitchie and her friends arriving at Camp Rock, ready to spend another summer jamming out and having the time of their lives. But the new, flashy Camp Star across the lake now threatens Camp Rock's very existence. To keep the doors open, Mitchie steps up, rallies her fellow Camp Rockers and gets them into top shape for the ultimate showdown!

DISNEY'S CAMP ROCK, THE MUSICAL features a large ensemble cast with many featured roles. Whether your students are singers, actors, dancers or triple threats, everyone has an opportunity to shine in this high-energy show!

BACK TO THE 80s (outdoor amphitheater July 14-22, 2017)

Written by Neil Gooding

Additional material by StuArt Smith

Revised Orchestrations and Arrangements by Brett Foster

Original Musical Adaptation by Scott Copeman

Directed by Guy Gardner

IF YOU LIVED THE 80's, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THIS SHOW 7 TIMES!

Check out these terrific 80's songs:

Baby One More Time, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Kids In America, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Footloose, Mickey, Video Killed The Radio Star, The Greatest American Hero Theme, Let's Hear It For The Boy, I'm Gonna Be, You Give Love A Bad Name, Man In The Mirror, Nothing's Going To Stop Us Now, Love Shack, Total Eclipse Of The Heart, Walkin On Sunshine, Get Out Of My Dreams, Centerfold, Lost In Your Eyes, Don't Worry Be Happy, Come On Eileen, Never Gonna Give You Up, Material Girl, The Time Of My Life.

From the era that brought the world the Rubik's Cube, Max Headroom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes the "totally awesome" musical BACK TO THE 80'S. In the style of movies such as Back to the Future, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Karate Kid, BACK TO THE 80'S is a nostalgic romp through the greatest hits of the decade.

BACK TO THE 80'S tells the story of the senior class of William Ocean High School, as remembered through the eyes of now thirty-something Corey Palmer. Seventeen-year-old Corey is madly in love with his next-door neighbor, Tiffany Houston, one of the coolest girls in the school, but she is too busy mooning over Michael Feldman, the hottest guy around. Michael and his friends are athletic and good-looking - the kind of guys that Corey and his two best friends dream of being. However, while they may not be the coolest guys in school, they are still one up on Feargal McFerrin, III, whose best friend is his computer and who believes the crazy notion that one day, CDs will replace cassette tapes.

Throw in a Star Wars dream sequence, high-energy dance routines, the obligatory 80's party scene, copious amounts of blue eyeshadow, twenty cans of hairspray, as well as some of the most popular songs ever written, and the result is a musical that will not only delight and amuse audiences of any age, but will also inspire any young cast. BACK TO THE 80'S is a high-energy musical with contemporary flair that will knock your neon socks off!

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Co-production with White Theatre at The Jewish Community Center; TTIP dates: July 28, 29 & 30, Aug. 2, 3, 4 & 5; White Theatre dates: July 8, 13, 15, 20 & 22 at 7:30 p.m. July 9, 16 & 23 at 2 p.m.)

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice

Book by Linda Woolverton

Directed by Steven Eubank

Step into the enchanted world of Broadway's modern classic, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, an international sensation that has played to over 35 million people worldwide in 13 countries. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all of the wonderful songs written by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs by Mr. Menken and Tim Rice. The original Broadway production ran for over thirteen years and was nominated for nine Tony® Awards, including Best Musical.

The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

This "tale as old as time" is filled with spectacular costume and set opportunities or, even more simply staged, Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST offers a great opportunity to bring the entire community together for family theatre at its best.

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