Penobscot Theatre Company's Dramatic Academy to Stage THE WEDDING SINGER

Penobscot Theatre Company's Dramatic Academy is proud to present The Wedding Singer, July 16-19, at the historic Bangor Opera House. "The musical brings all of the fun of the original Adam Sandler movie to new life through some rocking songs," said Director of Education Amy Roeder, "plus, there's plenty of 80s nostalgia and whimsy."

The story centers around Robbie Hart, hopeless romantic, wannabe rocker and front man of the best wedding band in all of New Jersey. Robbie's simple dreams go up in smoke when his fiancée leaves him at the altar, and he is forced to rebuild his life with the help of his friends and the winsome Julia. Will Robbie find love again, or will Julia marry the cute but caddish Glen Guglia and break Robbie's heart again?

The Wedding Singer is the culmination of the first session of Penobscot Theatre Company's Dramatic Academy Summer, a four-week day camp serving students aged 4-20. Throughout the course of the session, developing actors, both novice and veteran, progress from reading to auditions to rehearsal to performance. Through the theatre's unique Tech Track program, teens interested in developing their skills behind the scenes design and create the set, costume and prop elements needed to bring the work from page to stage. Classes on musical theatre, improvisation, and acting technique are also part of the weekly schedule.

Penobscot Theatre Company's resident teaching artist and celebrated company member Benjamin Laymanis directing The Wedding Singer. Choreographer AJ Mooney, Musical Director Ben McNaboe, Director of Education Amy Roeder, Lighting Designer Aaron Noble, Sound Designer Bob Rogers, and Production Manager Catherine Darragh round out the creative team.

The cast includes: Kate Adam (Bangor), Kobe Angel (Bangor), Lily Barrington (Hampden), Tala Bayless (Bangor), Lilyana Bebout (Blue Hill), Robert Brangwynne (Holden), Lauren Bilancia (Brewer), Elisabeth Budd (Bangor), Matthew Bullard (Bangor), Meghan Clark (Brewer), Rose Codair (Brewer), Luke Cote (Bangor), Ruby El-Hajj (Winterport), Danielle Finlason (Brewer), Molly Hagerty (Bangor), Delaney Hartley (Bangor), Riley Howe-Grenier (Bangor), Lucien Jellison (Dedham), Maia Johnson (Hampden), Anna Kemble (Bangor), Conor Kenney (Bangor), Isabel Kidwell (Bangor), Nolan Kuhl (East Holden), Lucas Lachance (Hampden), Conor Laferriere (Old Town), Cami Layman (Bangor), Nathan Manaker (Orono), Anna Nangle (Bangor), Noam Osher (Orono), Zivi Osher (Orono), Eleanor Prescott (Hampden), Nola Prevost (Brewer), Gwyneth Ravenscroft (Bangor), Paige Ravenscroft (Bangor), Joseph Rutledge (Bangor), Maya Smith (Bangor), Alyssa Stubbs (Orono), Mia Sullivan (Washington, DC), Haley Tardif (West Enfield), Claire Thompson (Bangor), Charlotte Turner (Alton), Meg Ward (Bangor), and Morgan Wiercinski (Hampden). Lilly Hillman of Stafford, Virginia, and Daniel Rutledge of Bangor have participated in the Tech Track program this session.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.penobscottheatre.org or by phone at 947-6618. They are $12 each for adults and $8 each for children. Shows start July 16-18 at 7:00 pm and July 19 at 3:00 pm.

Registration is open for Session 2 of Dramatic Academy Summer, which will center around Shakespeare's beloved comedy Much Ado About Nothing and a hilarious modern adaptation for younger thespians, A Great Big Deal Over Nothing. The session will begin July 27, and the performance dates will be August 14-16. More information is provided under the Education tab at www.penobscottheatre.org.