Chanhassen Dinner Theatre Presents I DO! I DO!, 9/24

It's been 18 years since I DO! I DO! closed after a 22.5 year run. That production held the world record for being the longest running musical with its original cast, also easily making it the most popular musical production in Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' history. I DO! I DO! will open September 24^th to two weeks of previews with a grand opening on Friday, October 8^th on Chanhassen's Fireside Theatre stage.

Based upon Jan De Hartog's The Fourposter, I DO! I DO! originally opened on Broadway in 1966 starring Mary Martin and Robert Preston; Carol Burnett and Rock Hudson starred in the first national tour. A 1996 Off-Broadway revival starred Karen Ziemba and David Garrison.  The story of a marriage is at the center of this intimate, nostalgic musical version by Harvey Schmidt (music) and Tom Jones (book and lyrics), the authors of "The Fantasticks." The show begins with Michael and Agnes on their wedding day and traces their lives together over a period of 50 years, until the day they leave their house to the next pair of newlyweds. In that time we watch them go through wedding night jitters, struggle with raising children, deal with mid-life crises, and grow old together, all lovingly to the strains of a tuneful score including such songs as, "Together Forever," "When The Kids Get Married" and "My Cup Runneth Over."

When the classic Chanhassen production closed on June 20^th, 1993, I DO! I DO! it played to nearly 700,000 guests in over 7,645 performances. The theatre phenomenon had guests clamoring to watch David Anders and Susan Goeppinger as they portrayed their characters, Michael and Agnes - and lived out fifty years of marriage in a little over two hours, eight times each week.(After their 500^th performance, the couple exchanged their real-life, off-stage "I do's.")  And yet, when it closed, after over 22 years, the theatre received phone calls from patrons asking when it would return, "We didn't get to see it before it closed!"

Since Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' ownership changed in March of this year, there was much discussion about what might be the next Fireside production. Artistic Director and co-owner Michael Brindisi asked, "What d'ya think about bringing back I DO! I DO! It's a classic, and our audiences loved it." Brindisi wasted no time in casting the show and hand-picked two favorite Chanhassen veteran performers, Keith Rice and Norah Long, to take on the roles made so popular by Anders and Goeppinger." Stated Brindisi, "There couldn't be two finer, more gifted actors in town to run with these roles." Audiences will fondly remember Keith Rice from such leading roles as Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man, Eric the Phantom in Phantom, Tommy Albright in Brigadoon, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Daddy Warbucks in Annie and countless others. Norah Long is known for her extensive work throughout the Twin Cities. Her most notable Chanhassen roles include Guenevere in Camelot, Maria in The Sound of Music, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, and most recently Rice and Long played the romantic leads of Adam and Millie in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

When asked what will be new about this particular production of I DO! I DO! Brindisi stated, "First of all, this production will have its own identity.  We're doing it in the Fireside. It's a completely new home for I DO I DO!  It's a larger space that allows our designers greater latitude in creating the set. The entire setting of the production takes place in the bedroom." He continued, "There is very little remaining from the original production. So everything will be remade. The extra space will allow the actors more freedom to move. Since the space is larger, there will be a trio of musicians, an improvement over the solo piano of the earlier production. And, from a direction standpoint, there will be some surprises that will give this production a bit of a dusting off."

While the play takes place over the course of a 50-year time span that begins at the turn of the 20^th century, Brindisi is struck with the timelessness of the play. Said Brindisi, "Today, couples deal with the exact same issues: fears of commitment, decisions about children, communication, self-awareness, careers, planning for the future, empty nests, aging. And the author recently updated some of the song lyrics to fit with today's sensibilities. People will fall in love with this production all over again. And, actually, it's been so long since it closed, we're ready to do this for a new generation of couples."

Brindisi collaborates with his creative team of artists. Richard Long serves as musical director, and Tamara Kangas Erickson as choreographer.  Designers: Nayna Ramey for scenery; Rich Hamson for costumes; Sue ElLen berger for lighting; Russ Haynes for sound and Susan Magnuson for hair/makeup. Production Stage Manager is Susan Magnuson. 

 I DO! I DO! is slated to run into Spring 2011 on Tuesday through Sunday evenings with matinees on selected Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Dinner and show ticket prices are as follows: Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday evenings $52; Friday and Saturday evening $62; Wednesday matinee $45; Saturday matinee $47; and Sunday $53.  Show-only tickets available ten days prior to performance. For tickets and information call the theatre box office at (952) 934-1525 or (800) 362-3515, or go online to www.ChanhassenDT.com