Woodminster Summer Musicals Announces Works for 2010 Season

Producers Associates, Inc. announces its season for 2010, the 44th consecutive season of the Woodminster Summer Musicals. This summer the shows will be "Hairspray," "The Music Man," and "Paint Your Wagon." The organization has also announced a new $10 Preview Night as part of its ongoing effort to offer inexpensive ways for people to enjoy live theater.

Says H. James Schlader, who has been Producer of the musicals since 1967, "We have always worked to offer quality productions, and to offer them at a price that families can afford. Times have been hard for a lot of our audience members, and we thought some of them might appreciate the opportunity to enjoy a final dress rehearsal for the price of a movie. We hope this is just one more way - along with our "Kids Come Free" program and half-price group tickets - to bring American Musical Theater to people who otherwise might not get to enjoy it."

Woodminster's 2010 season will open with "Hairspray," July 9-18. This musical, which opened on Broadway in 2002 and ran until 2009, takes place in 1962 Baltimore, where the dreams of a plump teenage girl play themselves out in equal parts social commentary and lively dance numbers. The musical's original Broadway productions won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score for the Theatre. The London production was nominated for a record-setting eleven Laurence Olivier Awards, winning for Best New Musical and in three other categories. According to Harriet Schlader, Woodminster's Managing Director, "Our audiences vote for the shows they'd like to see, and 'Hairspray' was the top vote-getter several years in a row. Finally the show is available, and we're very excited to be the first resident Bay Area theater to produce it."

Playing August 6-15 will be the iconic Meredith Willson musical "The Music Man." One of the most popular and well-known pieces in the history of the American Musical Theater, "The Music Man" features a huge cast of all ages and many songs that are part of our cultural heritage, like "Gary, Indiana," "Till There Was You," and "Seventy-Six Trombones." This will be the fifth time "The Music Man" has been in the Woodminster Summer Musicals season; it was, in fact, one of the shows in the company's first season, in 1967, and was last performed here in 1996.

The season will close with Lerner & Loewe's California musical, "Paint Your Wagon," September 3-12. This tuneful classic takes place in the California wilderness of 1853, and tells the story of a crusty old gold miner, Ben Rumson, his daughter Jennifer, and a townful of miners and other colorful Gold Rush characters. Songs include "I Talk To the Trees," "They Call the Wind Mariah," and "Wandrin' Star."

Tickets for Woodminster shows range from $25 to $40 (no increase from 2009 prices), with children and seniors receiving a $2 discount. Season tickets for all three shows are also available, and provide about a 15% discount over the single ticket prices. Also, groups of 25 and more can purchase blocks of seats for half price, providing an affordable outing or fundraiser for a church or service group, neighborhood association, or any other group. For information about tickets, check www.woodminster.com or call 510-531-9597.

The new $10 Preview Performances will be the night before the official opening of each show, "Hairspray" on July 8, "The Music Man" on August 5, and "Paint Your Wagon" on September 2. All preview performance tickets are $10, and seating is open, first-come, first-choice. No group rates, Kids Come Free, or other further discounts apply for Preview Performances.

In 2010, Woodminster will continue its popular "Kids Come Free" program, which allows children 16 and younger to attend for free with paying adults (limitations apply, see website.) In 2009, with the help of several sponsors, the organization gave away over 3,000 free tickets to children and teens. Sponsors included Chevron, Target Stores, Alexander & Baldwin/Matson Navigation Corp., Clorox, and Mechanics Bank.

Woodminster shows are performed by a combination of professional (Actors Equity Association) actors and talented local non-professionals. Open auditions will be held March 27-28 in Oakland. Details and updates about auditions are available at http://www.woodminster.com/Webpages/opportunities.html.

The Woodminster Summer Musicals are performed under the stars at Woodminster Amphitheater, an open-air performance facility in Joaquin Miller Park high in the Oakland Hills. The park's spectacular views and serene woodsy environment made it the perfect setting for the amphitheater, cascades, reflecting pool, and paths that were originally built as a WPA project in 1939-40. For many East Bay families, it is a long-standing summer tradition to enjoy a picnic in the park and then see a musical at Woodminster.